the other Mikaelson girl
by TheLifeofaGhost
Summary: Life. Family. Love. Caroline, eldest daughter of the Original family, must choose between her loyalty to her brother, Elijah and his plans to kill Niklaus and her love for Damon the man who does not remember her . *with flashbacks*
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** the other Mikaelson girl

**Pairings:** Damon/Caroline; Damon/Elena/Stefan; Damon/Katherine

**Rating:** M

**Warnings:** Language, Violence, and Sexual situations

**Alternate History:** Caroline, the eldest daughter of the Original family, has been on the run from Niklaus since the daggering of Rebekah. But when she receives an interesting call with the promise of finally ending the Hybrid she finds herself in Mystic Falls, faced with a man from her past that she hasn't been able to forget.

**Important Note:** Alternate History beings/set in "The Sacrifice" and on…

* * *

><p>Her eyes<p>

She's on the dark side

Neutralize

Every man in sight

_**Angel**__, Massive Attack_

* * *

><p><strong>I<strong>

"What is it, Elijah?" Caroline sighed as she eased the cellular to her ear.

Her eldest brother was the only semblance of family she had left…Niklaus had hunted down each and every one of them (save for her and Elijah—who had done what he needed to protect them both from his reign of terror). Once upon a time, family had meant everything to the Hybrid…except for where his curse was concerned. _Always and forever_, as one.

Finn and Kol were simply obstacles in his way that needed to be dismantled in his haughty pursuits at _hybridism_. Even their baby sister, Bekah, had not been spared by the man. They hadn't been a family since the discovery of Esther's infidelity and murder, at the hands of their own father. To her, nothing had been more important.

All she had now were the infrequent calls from her brother, which were becoming too fewer in-between. And they were more prevalent with requests of her assistance during dire matters.

Silence. And then, "I have found her."

For a moment, Caroline's mind rattled off potentials of whom he may be referring to as _her_. The first being Rebekah. She had not seen her sister in over eighty years, too long. She recalled the look of surprise on her face when Nik plunged that dagger through her heart. Anger welled up in her at the memory but she pushed it aside as a thought came to her. Her sister was _gone_; she'd seen it with her own eyes.

The second was the woman who had managed to do the impossible (elude her brothers for over five hundred years)—Katerina Petrova, the first Petrova Doppelganger and the reason her brother was no longer in Niklaus' trusted circle. The woman was strikingly beautiful with her long, dark curls, _please-love-me_ doe eyes, and perfect olive colored skin. And she knew the punishment in store for her escape (and _vampirism_) from Klaus. Caroline knew the Petrova was smart enough to steer clear of anywhere near Elijah, and more so the Hybrid—who wanted her alive.

_Doppelganger_, the word echoed within her head. But—that couldn't be. Katerina had been turned. And she'd been young, had yet to birth any children. Still the word sounded once more. _Doppelganger_.

"Who?"

A pause. "I will explain the details upon your arrival."

The blond rolled her eyes. Usual Elijah, cryptic as hell. She sighed heavily, leaning further into the white lounge chair furnishing her apartment. Why was he so certain she'd come running to help him? It wasn't as if she hadn't built a comfortable life for herself. But her interest was pique. This _her_ had to be of some importance if it warranted a call from her reclusive brother.

"Fine," She said, lips curving into the ghost of a smile. She had time to spare for the man. He was _family_ after all. "Where?"

"Virginia. Richmond to be more specific."

Her eyes flickered to the watch wrapped securely around her wrist. Richmond—she could be there within the hour if she left immediately and booked herself a flight. The question though was what her brother would have her do when she got there. As noble of a man that he was, Elijah had developed a habit over the centuries of manipulating those around him to do as he wished of them. Whatever the reason, he was planning something; and he needed her. For what, she did not know. But she was sure to find out.

"I think I can manage that."

* * *

><p><em>Doppelganger<em>. Her brother had actually managed to find the girl. Which meant he'd be able to drive out Nik from wherever crevasse of the world he was currently hiding and bring Hell on Earth to her doorstep—seeing as how she was to simply oversee, and not be _seen_. It was now apparently her task to make sure the girl did not die prematurely.

So when she'd arrived outside of Slater's building (as Elijah had foreseen she might do) with a familiar brunette in to,w she remained sitting in the quaint café across the street (the wall facing the dead vampire's place lined with window). The girl was beautiful, though, she lacked something that was uniquely Tatia. Her best friend and the Original Petrova—it was a pity the girl had to die for Caroline (and her siblings) to live.

It was almost poetic that she'd been the one…

_A few hours later_, she found herself now sitting at one of the establishment's outside tables bored out of her mind. Her fingers danced over the keypad of her cellular, sending off a quick update to her brother. She wondered if this was part of his plan…boring her to death.

The blond looked away from the screen, eyes returning to the building. Her eyes widened and her fingers curled harshly around her phone.

Caroline gasped in shock. Her gaze moved from the top of his head to the soles of his boots. Seeing him, she swore her heart skipped a beat. The blond wondered if her eyes were deceiving her, but even from here she could smell the familiar scent, _his _unique musk: a mixture of masculinity and sensuality.

A look of determination etched on his handsome face, blue orbs trained ahead.

"_Damon."_

His familiar visage brought back memories from her days of running with Niklaus and Rebekah. To the first time they'd met.

:}{}{}{}{}{}{:

_**Chicago 1922**_

Her gaze browsed the patrons in the joint. She'd decided not to join her brother and sister at Gloria's. Being around the woman reminded her of what she lost…her connection to the earth, and at times her mother. When she died she'd lost all chances of following in Esther's footsteps of becoming a powerful servant of nature. So had Bekah; and that knowledge would always leave a void within her.

"How about a dance, sweetheart," one of the men from the bar said unexpectedly at her side. He looked swell in his dark trousers, suite jacket, and tie. With a baby face she was sure would delight her sister, however he was of no interest to her.

"Scram." Caroline muttered, brushing the man off as delicately as she could.

"Awe, come on Doll. All I'm asking for is one dance."

He was beginning to grate at her nerves. And that only served to arose her hunger. She was not one for hurting humans (as she'd learned from Elijah before his exile). The familiar ache in her gums—the sound of his throbbing pulse melodious to her ears. She needed to feed.

She returned her attention to the gent, now appraising her. His gaze dwindled down her champagne colored chiffon dress, the hem falling just a few inches below her knees, over her toned gams, to the point of her t-strap heels.

_Feed_, her mind told her as he took a hesitant step closer. The heavy scent of his cologne…_he would do._

Caroline mirrored a look of feigned interest she'd seen her sister use countless times on men. His grin faltered in slight when she leaned forward. The smell was intoxicating up close.

_No, wait_—her stare shifting to the group of rowdy men who'd accompanied him at the bar. They were watching her closely. He would not be a clean kill. There would be a trail leading back to her, making it that more easy for her father to find her (and by extension Nik and Bekah).

"Sorry, _Doll_," She whispered into his ear huskily, mirroring his endearment. "Go chase yourself."

And with a sharp turn of the heel she was gone.

The cold, night air of Chicago assaulting her the moment she stepped out into the street. She tugged on her dark, faux fur jacket, heels clacking against the sidewalk, streetlights illuminating her course. Laughter sounded, pulling her attention to a couple backing into an alleyway. The woman's dark hair in a tight bob (opposite to her own blond tresses, set in a finger wave).

The two were shrouded by darkness, almost disappearing completely from view. She could barely make out the silhouette of the man. He had the brunette pressed up against the wall.

Warmth pooled down to her stomach. It had been awhile since she'd had a man. Her body tensed suddenly as a habitual scent mixed in with the heady smell of arousal. _Blood_. Her teeth clenched as another wave of hunger washed over her.

_Vampire_, she thought. She circled around a lamppost, the tassels hanging delicately from her dress swaying with the decisive movement of her hips. The blond neared the couple, the alluring aroma almost overwhelming her.

"How about a taste," Caroline called out, drawing the man's attention. He lifted his head from the crook of his date's neck, peering over his shoulder at her. Her gaze moved to the tint of blood staining his mouth. Licking her lips, she returned her attention with new vigor to the man.

Pale white skin with a renewed hue of color, and cheek bones that personified male perfection. His dark brown hair (verging on black) was slick back, revealing light blue eyes. A mixture of intrigue and caution beheld them.

The blond took a calculated step forward. "She smells _delicious_."

The man tilted his head. Eyes staring intensely at her, assessing her. As if he stood a chance against her. Several seconds ticked by. She did not know how much longer she could go without feeding. Finally, he moved off to the side, offering her the woman's unblemished neck.

Her lips twisted into a grin. She stood in front of him a moment later, eyeing him hungrily as her fangs elongated. Caroline turned her back to him, placing a hand on either of the brunette's shoulder before dipping her head and sinking her teeth into her.

The taste—_euphoric_. The rustic flavor of blood sliding down her throat. It was all consuming. Her nails dug into the bare flesh of shoulders, anchoring the woman to her.

_Feed. Drink. _A moan of pain escaped the brunette's lips, pulling Caroline from the blissful alleviation of hunger.

She pushed away from the woman, allowing her body to slide down the brick wall she'd been momentarily pressed against.

"Who are you?" The man inquired darkly, voice low. The sound only served to arouse yet another hunger within her. (It had been a long time since she'd entertained herself with a man). Her stomach clenched with wanton desire.

"My name is Caroline." The blond said, turning to face him. She brought a hand to her lips, wiping away the remaining blood, noting the way his eyes followed her movements intently. Untrusting.

He raised a dark brow at her. Blue orbs peering into her own with an illustrious spark to them as he spoke up. "Damon Salvatore."

:}{}{}{}{}{}{:

Caroline blinked away the memory of the man who had plagued her mind for years. A face that had haunted her dreams—the _one_ person she ever regretted leaving behind.

_What is he doing here_, she wondered aloud. He'd disappeared inside Slater's suite leaving her unsure on how to approach the surprising new development.

A part of her wanted to go running to the man…hold him once more in her arms. He had been the _one. Her one._ She'd give up her life for him. And now it seemed with just his reappearance he'd paralyzed her with fear. But not of him. Elijah had informed her of the two clueless vampires that had run him in with a broken coat rack, protecting Elena from him. Had Damon been one of them? It was no coincidence that the man had suddenly appeared, entering the _same_ building as the Doppelganger. Were the two…together? The notion was enough to enrage the woman. Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt at the arrival of three men, entering Slater's building. _Vampires_, she surmised by their gait. There was almost always an air of entitlement among the undead. She was certain they did not work for Elijah. Too thuggish.

The blond stood from her seat, trailing after them silently; through the entrance (no invitation required) and up a wide flight of stairs.

Her ears picked up a familiar voice. _"Time to go. Alice is soundly sleeping and won't remember a moment of this horribly, stupid day."_

She paused in the middle of the stairway at the sound of a door bursting open up ahead.

"_We're here to meet the doppelganger."_ One of the vampires who'd entered in before her announced.

"_Thank you for coming."_ Even her voice was dripping with kindness. Caroline's heart clenched at the echo. She sounded so much like Tatia…Elijah would want her to intervene, right? He wanted to bring the girl to Niklaus himself. Before she could move to enter the suite a hand grasped firmly onto her shoulder, holding her back. Elijah.

She turned, meeting his hard stare and nodded. They'd discuss this later. For now, she'd let him handle the Doppelganger's obvious martyr attempt.

"_There's nothing here for you."_ Damon. In a flash he was no longer at her side, but standing in the doorway; his hand wrapped securely around a man's neck. His body fell to at Elijah's feet with the quick snap of neck.

A figure blurred past her. She presumed it to be Rose. The woman always did run at the first sign of confrontation.

"_I killed you. You were dead."_ Damon. It was clear to her now that the man…harbored feelings for the doppelganger. At least, caring for her enough to take on an Original. She drowned out the harbor of voices upstairs, closing her eyes in thought. Moments later she felt the sharp tug of her brother's strong hold as he blurred them from scene. He'd managed to kill all three vampires, as if that would have required much effort on his part. All to keep _her _safe, as he later told Jonas. She'd listened in on their curt conversation from behind his bedroom door. He did not wish for anyone to know of her arrival. Not even his most trusted warlock.

* * *

><p>"Why am I here, Elijah?" She inquired when they were finally alone. His warlock had left to tend to his son—Luka. She anticipated his answer. As children she'd always been able to tell when her brother needed something, or wanted something from her.<p>

A sigh. "When Niklaus arrives…" he began, reaching out for her hand and lacing their fingers together, "I _need_ to have you by my side when I do finally kill him."

Caroline stared down at their joined hands. Elijah—they'd always shared a special connection with one another as siblings. He'd taught her how to fight with the sword (away from the village so father would not find out, of course) and protected her when she'd ran from Nik. If it were not for him, the man would have probably found and daggered her as well. Scattered her somewhere across the seas so that she might never be found. She owed him.

A slow smile graced her lips. "Of course, Elijah. I—we're family."

_Always and forever_. The familiar ache in her chest at the memory of her sister returned as she wrapped an arm around her brother's larger frame, pulling him into an embrace. He was all she had left and still...She could not tell him about Damon, at least, not yet. She could not wish to run the risk of his possible reaction to the news. If Elijah though that she was comprised in anyway, for even a second, he would kill the Salvatore. And that, she could not let happen.

So Caroline would keep herself out of sight, as he'd requested of her. But when the time came she would make Damon _hers_ again. She'd promised him they'd be together for eternity. And that was a promise she planned on keeping. No matter what.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Please leave a review telling me what you think and thank you for reading!<em>**


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** the other Mikaelson girl

**Pairing:** Caroline/Damon: Damon/Elena/Stefan: Damon/Katherine

**Rating:** M

**Warnings:** Language, Violence, and Sexual Situations

**Alternate History:** Caroline, the eldest daughter of the Original family has been on the run from Niklaus since the daggering of Rebekah. But when she receives an interesting call with the promise of finally ending the Hybrid she finds herself in Mystic Falls, faced with a man from her past that she hasn't been able to forget.

**Important Note:** This chapter is set between "The Descent" and "Daddy Issues".

**Note 2:** Sorry it has taken so long for me to update. I have been incredibly busy this past month. But I'm ready for summer and to update more often.

* * *

><p>Her eyes<p>

She's on the dark side

Neutralize

Every man in sight

_**Angel**__, Massive Attack_

* * *

><p><strong>II<strong>

She stood under the fringe of tress. The habitual scent of pinene filled the cold night. With memories. As a young girl she had played in these very woods, alongside Kol and Rebekah. Elijah would play the dubious older brother that knew nothing of their childish antics when questioned by father, while Niklaus kept to himself with his own adventures. Finn, as per usual, working hard alongside mother. Henrik had not been but an infant at the time.

_Henrik._ He had died young. At the hands—better still, claws, of the wolves that had ruled the night under the full moon. And with his blood, which had been spilt by their neighbors, her and her family's plight into damnation had begun.

:}{}{}{}{:

A scream tore through the morning air. The guttural sound caused the blond to give a startled jump. It was a cry of distress. _Niklaus' cry._ Something was wrong. She could hear the Spirits—voices in disharmony sounding throughout her head suddenly. All whispering too sharply, too harshly for her to understand.

"Father! Mother!"

Caroline turned toward the source of the disturbance. She stumbled over the length of her dress as she excited the hut that served as her home for nearly eighteen summers. She slowly neared the frantic calling. Blue orbs widened at the sight that befell her, a sudden wave of dread washing over her.

''Henrik,'' she gasped, rushing to her brother's side. Caroline collapsed to her knees, throat constricting at the display of blood forever staining the expanse of his white tunic. Her eyes traveled up the plane of his pale stomach, tinged with dry blood. Her hands flew to her lips, suppressing a sob that threatened to wreck her body. Three gashes mar his unusually pallid skin, his dark hair falling lifelessly around his angelic face.

The girl's eyes flickered to Niklaus. His body hunched over with grief stricken affliction, tears threatening to spill from his downcast stare as Rebekah did her best to console him through her own pain as well.

Caroline tuned out the hysterical voice of her mother, stare returning to her brother. Her **baby **brother. He was dead. She could feel it. Sense it. The emptiness of his vessel was almost suffocating.

An unexpected warmth encompassed her, drawing her from the pull of the spirits' harsh power. She craned her head, catching sight of long, dark tresses. _Elijah_.

''It will be alright, sister.'' he whispered comfortingly into her ear. She was crying, she realized, as a soft mewing cry left her lips. The blond leaned into the safety of his embrace, strong arms wrapping around her shaking frame. Caroline closed her eyes to the horrible truth of mortality.

:}{}{}{}{:

She pushed away the memory. A reminder of the innocence she had lost that day—the blood that had spurred her father's desperation. Of the moment that had sealed her fate.

Her hand closed into a fist. Just the thought of the man, who'd killed her mother...anger, betrayal...He'd destroyed their family.

"I have a secret. I have a _**big**_ one, but I've never said it out loud."

Damon's pained voice pulled her away from the violent wave of emotions threatening to drown her sensibilities

_Secret_. Caroline leaned against a tree, cradling a particular memory shared with Damon on the very topic of secrets. And it seemed that now, the Salvatore was still harboring that very deep seated wish. _The ultimate truth._

"...I'm not human. And I miss it. I miss it more than anything in the world! _That is my secret_. But there's only so much hurt a man can take." She watched on, eyes solemn, as Damon released the girl—Jessica, she recalled hearing—from his compulsion. She'd made it to her car when the man was suddenly behind her, turning her around in tearing into her neck.

Caroline cringed as the heady smell of blood filled the space and his words echoed within her mind. _"I'm not human. And I miss it._"

:}{}{}{}{:

_**Chicago 1922**_

"Do you miss it?"

He stared across the room toward where she sat, back to him peering into the vanity. In his eyes, a mixture of intense interest and a solemn disposition. Looking up at him, Caroline raised a perfectly sculpted brow in curiosity. She wore an ivory and silver beaded evening gown, its fringe falling just short of her knees. Her porcelain white skin looked soft and a gentle hue of pink graced her cheeks, promising warmth.

"It?" The blond asked.

Damon opened his mouth to speak, before closing it abruptly. Hesitation, Damon never hesitated. It was unlike him. He was anything if not tactless. Caroline turned in her seat, giving the man her full attention.

He shrugged. "Being…human."

"_I'm not human. And I miss it. I miss it more than anything in the world_!"

Her expression softened at the reveal. The Salvatore's face was scrunched up in thought, fingers digging into the knees of his pantsuit. His shoulders were hunched over, too. His whole demeanor crumbled right before her.

She took a deep breath, standing from her perch at the vanity. She walked towards him, wearing a knowing look. She offered him a hand, pulling him up from his spot at the edge of her cot.

"Damon, I've been dead a long time." Caroline said softly, letting his hand drop out of hers. She watched his eyes for any form of reaction. He simply nodded, waiting expectantly for her to continue. "My family—I have been around for a long time."

Damon touched her shoulder. She shifted her gaze, meeting his understanding stare.

"If I had…the chance to be…human again, to be rid of this hunger, this darkness inside of me…" He touched her face, rubbing his thumb gently along her cheek. "…To see my mother again…my brother…to feel their embrace once again."

She was suddenly enveloped in a firm, lean mass of warmth, hands wrapping around her frame, pulling her in. Caroline hesitated a moment before she finally wrapped her arms around his back and pressing her face into the crook of his neck.

"I do, Damon. I miss it so much." She mumbled, a string of emotions threatening to be released.

"I miss it too." He whispered into her ear.

The woman pulled away from him slowly, staring up into two pools of intense blue. His eyes flickered down to her pink lips before shifting to return her stare. A hand traveled from the curve her hip, moving fluidly to the back of her neck, fingers toying with a few strands of blond hair. He hesitated.

"Kiss me, Damon." Caroline said, leaning into him, pressing her supple breasts against his chest. He smiled, leaning down and drawing her lips to his.

She watched as the two entered Mystic Bar & Grill—Damon and the doppelganger. The need for his touch left a dull ache within her. They parted ways at the entrance, the young woman moving toward a small group of people while the Salvatore headed for the bar, a pensive look etched on his face.

* * *

><p>Caroline shifted in her seat, turning her body toward the man who took up most of her thoughts. It was strange to see him now. In the twenties, he'd been this dapper man, but now—he was the epitome of <em>sex<em>. In the way he walked, talked, and looked at you with those perfectly blue eyes. It was almost too hard to look away. He signaled to the barkeep for a drink. She sighed; watching with interest at two women approached him.

"So, my friend wants to meet you. Damon Salvatore, this is…" It was Jenna, the woman taking care of Elena.

"I know you." The man announced as he turned in his seat, drink in hand. "The news lady."

"Yeah, Andie Star. Nice to meet you."

The blond kept her gaze on Damon as he gave the woman a tight-lipped smile.

"Can I…buy you a drink, Damon?"

"My glass is all full, Andie. Thank you." The Salvatore said thoughtfully, sliding down from his barstool and gravitating toward the familiar face of Elena Gilbert. Caroline sighed, standing from her seat at the opposite end of the establishment, out of sight from many of the patrons—including Damon and Elena, and gliding toward the side entrance.

Damon was completely taken with the girl. The doe-eyed beauty that only served to reminding her of the past…of the friend that was lost to her.

Opening the door, she noted a tall man leaning against the outside wall of the bar, eyes pointed up toward the top of a short staircase leading back up onto the main street. Arms crossed over his chest, looking strong and shoulders incredibly broad. His eyes moved to her sharply as the door closed behind her. He gave her a brief nod of acknowledgement before returning his attention to whatever was meant to be at the top of the stairs.

She moved past him, trailing up the stairs, eyes burning to look back and see if he was still staring. The hairs of her neck stood in alert, a sensation of heat pouring at her back. The intensity of his gaze—there was something animalistic about it. Her phone buzzed at her side. She pulled it out slowly, bringing it to her ear.

"Where are you?" His voice echoed in her ear.

"Elijah, I'm wonderful. Thank you for asking." Caroline informed him brightly as she made her way to her—Elijah's black SUV.

"Caroline." His voice slightly strained.

She gave a soft laugh. "You really shouldn't worry so much, Elijah. It's not healthy for a man your age."

The sound of a soft chuckle was her only reply before a movement to her right caught her attention. Her head turned, eyes landing on the same man she'd only seen moments ago, pulling a large, heavy-looking trashcan up the stairs. Behind him trailed a woman, decked in a tight, leather jacket trailed after him.

"_Caroline_?" She realized her brother had been talking.

"Sorry, Elijah. What were you saying?" The blond inquired brightly, watching the man and woman as the approached a parked jeep, both moving to lift the large tin can into its trunk. There was something odd about the way they moved, something inhuman.

"No one can know you are here," He spoke carefully. "You run the risk of alerting Niklaus of our plans."

"I understand. I'll be at the house in ten." She nodded, the harsh sound of the jeep pulling out of its parking spot drawing her attention yet again.

"Damon!" She heard a habitual voice call, the brunette appearing at the top of the stairs, eyes wide with surprise as they stared after the roaring vehicle already out of earshot.

_Damon_? Her mind flashed back to the almost rustic feel that had radiated off of the two—no they were not quite human. And they wore a stench of death that was not entirely vampire. Why had she not seen it before? She left the phone slide from her ear, effectively ending the call and tucking the device back into her pocket.

_Werewolves_. They'd had the familiar musk of _dog_…a lingering scent she had not picked up on. The trashcan—it had been big enough to fit a body into. It did not take long for her to connect the two. They'd taken him, taken Damon. Anger flared within her at the notion and she felt the familiar pool of power within her. If anything happened to him…

Pulling open the car door, she climbed in and peeled out of the parking lot. There was no way she was leaving the safety of Damon in the hands of the doppelganger and his enamored brother.

* * *

><p>He knew it was stupid. They'd played on his anger for what had happened. He'd sprung the lock on his own trap when he'd followed Jules out of that bar. She'd played him like a fiddle, using his thirst for blood, for retribution for what she'd done to Rose to get him off guard.<p>

When Damon came to, he found himself in a precarious position. He'd been strung up, an overwhelming feeling of blindness overtaking him. The space he was in was eerily dark, the only source of light coming from the fixture overhead. The man took a deep breath, coughing as an almost acid taste invaded his senses.

"Good, you're awake." An oddly youthful voice declared as a figure stepped out of the darkness. Damon tried to focus his eyes, taking in the unknown's appearance. He wore a grey, wool scarf around his neck and a beanie similar in color over tresses of dark hair. "It's been a while. I thought Brady might have actually killed you before I got to have any fun."

The Salvatore raised his head slightly, getting a look at the pubescent boy standing before him wearing a sheepish grin. He didn't look that much older than Jeremy. He stood only a few feet before him, shoulders squawked and eyes trailing over him with interest. And that thought did not resignation any inkling of fear within him. The boyish man was one of them. A wolf, yet there was something about him that was not all that frightening.

"What are you, twelve?" Damon inquired, throat oddly tight. A laugh escaped the man's lips as he took a step toward him, producing a long, steel pipe from behind his back.

"Not yet, Stevie," A familiar rang out in the darkness, its source coming into view not a moment later. Jules. She wore a triumphant smirk on her face as she paced the floor toward him. "Hello, Damon."

"Ju—fuck," Damon muttered in a strangled voice.

"Do you feel that? That burning sensation against your flesh?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest as she took in the sight of him. "Vervain drip on the ropes, we couldn't run the risk of you breaking free from your chains. Stevie's idea."

"Yeah," The man spoke up with a prideful countenance, grin tugging at his lips.

Damon looked up at his bonds, tugging at them until his arms began to ache. He remained silent, refusing to voice his sudden concern. He was the one that did the saving. Who was there to save him? Stefan? His brother had been waiting for the chance to be rid of him. Elena? She couldn't even keep herself out of trouble let alone get him out of his.

"Now, I am going to ask you this one time," Jules said blandly as she took a step forward, grasping his chin and tilting his head until their gaze was level. "Where is the moonstone?"

The man eased in his restraints as he stared down at her, eyes narrowed. There was no way in hell she'd let him go if he told her what she wanted to know, and there was an even lesser chance of him telling her shit about where she'd be able to find it.

"Why don't you ask Mason?" Damon said smugly.

"I was hoping you'd say something like that." Stevie exclaimed, reminding the two of his presence. The wolf smiled brightly as Jules step away, giving him unlimited access to the Salvatore. He raised the pipe before bringing it down on Damon's side, a sickening crack echoing throughout the room, along with a roaring scream.

* * *

><p>The putrid smell of musk and fur filled her nostrils the moment she stepped out of her car. She'd left Elijah a speedy message on his phone about the capture of one of his coveted pawns. By now Elena and Stefan were working on finding the missing Salvatore—they wouldn't in time. The wolves wouldn't leave them much to save.<p>

The blond trekked up the gravel road the two who had taken Damon traveled down. The heavy scent of death still lingered in the atmosphere. Her eyes narrowed as a weatherworn building came into view up ahead. A warehouse with its windows covered over with what looked to be black tarps. Blue orbs canvassed the area. Caroline's watched as a figure appeared at the entrance of the structure.

A man stared her down as she neared tentatively, offering him a pleasant enough smile.

"What are you doing out here?" He all but barked out in question. He was a little over six foot, with broad shoulders stack on top of lean muscle, tasseled brown hair and dark brown eyes.

She feigned a sheepish expression as she took a step forward. "My car stalled a half a mile down the road. I was going to call for a tow but I left my phone at work. I saw a jeep heading up this way, so I hoped there would be some form of civilization nearby, and here you are."

"Here I am," He mumbled under his breath as he scrutinized her, sizing her up. He obviously no longer viewed her as a threat, his voice losing its edge as he visibly relaxed. He pulled something from the back pocket of his dark-wash jeans, holding it out for her. A phone.

She approached him with a relieved smile. He stepped forward, out of the doorway of the warehouse, and closed the distance between them with three quick strides. Caroline's fingers curled around the object, eyes sliding up to catch the man's expression as their skin touched. Hot against cold. His brown eyes snapped up to meet hers and he tried to reel away, but not soon enough. Her free hand had already plunged through his chest cavity.

He stared back at her as she ripped his heart out, literally. Eyes fogging over as death came to collect him. She let his body fall to the wayside as she made her way toward the entrance.

* * *

><p>She traveled down row after row of crates—things left behind and covered in dust. A mangled yell echoed throughout the space. Damon. Her body clenched before a sudden, eerie calmness washed over her.<p>

"Where's the moonstone?" A voice spoke up, the back of a hunched form coming into view. It was hard to keep her eyes off Damon. He just hung there, not even on his feet with his legs dangling behind his body. His head was bowed and sweat lined his brow. He'd been stripped of his shirt. Already there were trails of dried blood tingeing his perfect skin. But it was the eyes that did it for her. They had stabbed him there, and there. His eyes were blood-filled, and it was obvious he was blind until they healed.

"Fuck you," The Salvatore breathed out. The moonstone—an important part of reversing Niklaus' curse.

"Wrong answer." The boyish man proclaimed, raising his arm to strike. Caroline moved, hand wrapping firmly around the man's arm and twisted. His head turned and before he could retaliate she threw him across the floor. A loud thud sounded as he meet the hard concrete of the cement.

"Who's there?" Damon called out, head lolling to the side. Caroline froze. This was the closest she'd been to the Salvatore since the incident at Slater's. She took a hesitant step forward, hand shaking as she reached out—for him. "Stefan?"

The pads of her fingers met the warmth of his flushed skin. His lips twitched at the contact. She trailed her fingers along his cheek, taking another step toward him. He was warm. And soft, so familiar. Such smooth skin—his body squirmed against her hand.

"Elena?"

The blond flinched at the name, drawing her hand back as if he had burned her. And he had. With his words. She reached up between them, hands finding his bonds and giving one strong yank, freeing him. As his body fell to the floor she caught him against her chest, dropping to her knees to ease his descent.

"Who are you?" He whispered, blinking rapidly as he stared up at her. His eyes were already healing. She slid out from underneath him, resting him on his side.

She stared down at him for a moment, letting his question hang in the air as she got to her feet. He'd be one hundred percent in a few minutes and then it would no longer be safe for her to be there. Releasing a sad sigh she turned on her heel, leaving Damon to heal while she vacated the premises. Like a thief in the night. Or, to Damon, one hell of a guardian _angel_.

Once she returned to the discarded car she pulled out her cellular.

"What happened?" Elijah's voice inquired worriedly the moment he picked up.

"Don't worry, Eli," Caroline said without smile, "Your pawn is safe. But you seem to have a bit of a dog problem. Might want to get one of your witches on that."

Elijah was silent for a moment, pondering whether or not to respond. Giving a response won out. "I'll have that problem dealt with soon. Don't forget, we need a lycan for the ritual."

An old memory flashed through her mind. One she did not wish to relay. She swallowed back bitter words.

"I could never forget."

A pause. "Neither can I…and thank you."

"Anytime, Eli. We're family."

* * *

><p><strong><em>Thanks for reading! Please leave a review telling me what you think.<em>**


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** the other Mikaelson girl

**Pairing:** Caroline/Damon: Damon/Elena/Stefan: Damon/Katherine

**Rating:** M

**Warnings:** Language, Violence, and Sexual Situations

**Alternate History:** Caroline, the eldest daughter of the Original family has been on the run from Niklaus since the daggering of Rebekah. But when she receives an interesting call with the promise of finally ending the Hybrid she finds herself in Mystic Falls, faced with a man from her past that she hasn't been able to forget.

**Important Note:** This chapter is set in "Crying Wolf". The next chapter will include "The Dinner Party" and "The House Guest". Sorry it's so short, but I haven't updated in a while.

* * *

><p>Her eyes<p>

She's on the dark side

Neutralize

Every man in sight

_**Angel**__, Massive Attack_

* * *

><p><strong>III<strong>

He'd lived long enough to know there was very little _luck_ left in the world, for him. Someone had saved him. Once he'd regained his vision is became apparent that that someone had not been Stefan. Or Elena. They had been planning his rescue when he'd walked through the front door of the boarding house, both visibly shocked to see him in such a perplexed state. The weight of something heavy on his mind as he trekked up to his room.

The smell of…_sunshine_ was his only clue. He had not picked up on it at first, through his disorientation. The pain he had felt, almost crippling. The damage that had been done to him, though, gone within moments of him being freed from his bonds.

The feel of skin. So soft, _supple_ against him. And yet, it left him with sensations that were usually reserved for women like Elena and Katherine. Like a sensory memory, it sparked something within him. And that irritated him. Because the one who had saved him had _not _been Elena. It had been an unknown. Maybe they'd had been one of the wolves experiencing a change of heart, maybe a new player to the game of vampire versus werewolf chess. Whoever it was, he was left with an underwhelming feeling of gratitude.

"Who sprung your cage?" Stefan asked once Elena had returned home and they were finally alone.

Damon looked away from the glass of bourbon he'd been cradling in his hand. His countenance sobered. "I have _no_ idea."

Elijah had left for the Historical Society Tea Party, urging her to remain hidden. And it was not that she did not wish to heed her brother's warnings but…truthfully, she was beginning to feel like the little sister who followed her big brother blindly, again. She had already gone through this with Niklaus. And what had it cost her? A _dead_ sister.

:}{}{}{}{:

_**Chicago, 1922**_

"What are you smiling about?" The blond inquired as Nik and Bekah returned that night from Gloria's. The younger woman could not contain the radiant glow from her countenance as she fell into the loveseat beside her sister.

"I've met a boy, Caroline." The woman said with a satisfied grin.

Caroline's lips quirked forming a halfhearted smile. She was happy for her baby sister. With all their years of running…_hiding_, it was a pleasant turn of events for her to have found someone to occupy her time with. She opened her mouth to begin her barrage of questions, the usual: who is he? Is he attractive? Is he human?

"A real ripper," Nik interjected with a similar expression. He stood in the doorway leading into his bedroom, arms crossed over his chest. "Charming lad."

The blond looked from her sister to Niklaus. It was strange to see that even he appeared to have taken a liking to the man who'd come in and swept Bekah off her feet. It reminded her of the Damon…she suppressed a shiver at simply the thought of his name. He made her _feel_ things she hadn't felt in over a century. _Love_…or something very close to it. Because the moment he was on her mind it was very hard to think of anything else.

"He makes Nik look like a gentle pup." Rebekah said with a grin, running a hand through her locks of hair.

"Maybe he can teach our brother a thing or two," Caroline chimed in, amusement in her voice. The love she felt between her and her siblings was different than what she shared with the Salvatore. With them, they knew everything about her; they shared the bond of blood and took care of one another. They stayed together, as one. Elijah had fallen…exiled from Niklaus' sight after Katerina's _escape_.

"And where have you been sister?" Nik asked after the blonds' shared laughter at his expense.

Caroline rolled her eyes, sliding from her seat and sauntering over to the room exiting out into the study. "I went for a quick bite."

The hybrid narrowed his gaze, orbs flickering across her countenance for a silent moment. "Keep out of trouble, Caroline. We wouldn't want father finding us, now would we?"

Her back stiffened. Mikael…her _father_…the man that killed her mother. The same man who had branded them Originals. To see him again would mean certain death. She turned her head, returning Niklaus' stare with an intensity of her own. There had been a time when she had dreamed of seeing there family together, once again, _happy._ A fool's dream. Now she only hoped the man could never find them again. Simply leave them be. But she knew that was a fool's dream as well. As long as Nik was alive and kicking Mikael would be waiting around every corner for any opportunity to run a stake through his heart. And he did not care who had had to go through to get to him. And that included her and Bekah.

"No. We would not."

:}{}{}{}{"

She could only go along with Eli for so long before she began dreaming up her own plans for killing Klaus. In case Eli's fell through and his witches could not do the job, someone had to put an end to the running and take a stand against the hybrid. Someone with an actual chance of ending him. She could not go through another century of hiding. Of being unable to settle down and actually make friends, not simply allies.

Caroline scanned the patrons of Mystic Grill, landing on the Bennett witch Eli continued to inform her showed promise. She was petite, withe a resemblance to her great ancestor that was almost astounding. She recalled an important part of breaking Klaus' curse required doing it over the witches' burial site. And even then…they would not let him enjoy the power of being a hybrid long.

The woman watched with interest as the young Gilbert boy appeared, helping Bonnie drag an unconscious Luka away, unseen by those around them. She pushed away from her the table she'd been sitting at, trailing silently after the three.

* * *

><p>Elijah's plan had been revealed. How he intended for the doppelganger to die so that he could strike when Klaus was at his weakest during his first transition. It seemed that the people he swore to protect were quickly turning against him on his quest to kill their brother, and common enemy. And now, she needed to make a decision. Warn Eli of them…and what may be on the horizon for him if he continued down. Or allow them some free will and possibly get them killed.<p>

Free will…she had not been granted that gift with her father, nor Niklaus. Everything had been an order, or per request. And she followed them fruitlessly, lost to herself. So uncertain about what was _right_ and what was better for _her_. And her selfish needs. Never truly indulging in all the world had to offer…until she met Damon. He was the first man who never told her what to do, let her make her own decisions. Saw her as an equal. Not someone to rule over or protect. And although she was grateful for the protection Elijah had offered her since her birth, she had to stand on her own. Do things her way, because the fact was, the one evident truth she learned amongst her family, if you wished something to be done correctly best do it yourself.

"Sorry brother." Caroline muttered into the night air solemnly as she listened in on the Bennett's call with Damon. Now that the man knew the score, he would be planning something. And if she were to choose a side, it would be Damon's. Even, if it ultimately led to her death.

Life held little meaning to her without _love._ And what she'd felt for Damon...what she still holds in her heart...is a true and pure love. One that she was willing to fight for, go to the ends of the Earth and back for. Even die, again. If it meant they would be together, she would do it. She'd experienced a love that Niklaus could only dream of and that made her stronger than him...than any force that would stand against her. Because she had something truly worth dying for. And that gave her the advantage. Love made people do crazy, unexpected things. Which is just what Eli's plans needed.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Thanks for reading. Please leave a review.<strong>_


	4. Chapter 4

**Title:** the other Mikaelson girl

**Pairing:** Caroline/Damon: Damon/Elena/Stefan: Damon/Katherine

**Rating:** M

**Warnings:** Language, Violence, and Sexual Situations

**Alternate History:** Caroline the eldest daughter of the Original family has been on the run from Niklaus since the daggering of Rebekah. But when she receives an interesting call with the promise of finally ending the Hybrid she finds herself in Mystic Falls, faced with a man from her past that she hasn't been able to forget.

**Important Note:** This chapter is set in "The Dinner Party" and "The House Guest". Sorry I haven't updated in like a month. I had written this chapter out on my phone and had planned on updating it, but of course right when I was about to it took some major damage and I had to get it replaced as well as rewrite this entire thing. And I was a bit upset about it and was in a funk where I did not want to rewrite it, but here it is.

* * *

><p>Her eyes<p>

She's on the dark side

Neutralize

Every man in sight

_**Angel**__, Massive Attack_

* * *

><p><strong>IV<strong>

She had been surprised to learn that the woman who'd Damon been so reluctant to give up on when they'd been together—his first love—had been none other than the doppelganger Katerina herself. The Petrova girl singlehandedly, albeit unintentionally, divided her brothers irrevocably. Elijah had been exiled from sight because of her. And yet…a part of her felt is pity for the girl, who had no control over her own destiny the moment she'd been born. While another part of her wished for nothing more than to rip out her throat for hurting Damon. _Her Damon_.

:}{}{}{}{:

_**Chicago 1922**_

She loved it when he ravaged her body. He caressed ever inch of uncovered soft, pale flesh. Whispered in her ear just how much he wanted her, all of her. The way it felt running her

fingernails down his back, tearing skin—the sweet aroma of ambrosia fueling her hunger, desire even more.

Caroline shuddered, reveling in the feel of his chest against her heaving breasts as he pressed her

deeper into his cot. Trapping her beneath him. A light touch here, a whisper

there.

Damon attacked her mouth, plunging his tongue between her already swollen lips. He tasted of blood and bourbon—her two favorite things. She'd come to enjoy the tang of the unique

mixture on her tongue whenever they kissed. It fueled her, excited her.

The blond swiftly rolled them over, pinning him to the bed and taking him inside her, slowly.

She rolled her hips teasingly, relishing the melodic sounds that were coming from the Salvatore in response. His lids fluttering closed as his hips drove up to meet hers eagerly.

Caroline dipped her head, running her tongue along the pulse line of his neck—the intoxicating smell of what lay just below the surface overwhelming her.

"It's okay," He breathed heavily; "You can bite me…I want you to."

She noted the touch of his hand at the back of her head, urging her on. To mark him. Mark him as hers.

Claim him in every way imaginable. Something she'd never down before. Caroline felt the familiar ache in her gums as her fangs elongated, ready to staid her hunger. Her eyes flickered down, locking on his for a moment in question. His face was soft, pleasure creasing along the length of his brow as their hips moved in a steady rhythm. Damon's blue orbs were slightly wider than usual as they gazed up at her, lips twisting into a soft smile.

"It's okay." He whispered gently. And that was it. What remained of her resolve crumbled, along with everything else the moment those words left his mouth.

She pushed forth, piercing the skin of his neck with the tips of her teeth and sank into oblivion, as the nectar of life poured into her mouth. He cried out in ecstasy at the sensation—hands digging into her hips, pushing deeper, harder into her as she drank him in.

:}{}{}{}{:

The sweet tang of blood...the feel of his smooth flesh...Caroline shivered at the memory. It was some sort cruel torture to be so close to the man who'd plagued her thoughts only to have to keep her distance. She'd promised him forever.

But when Mikael came barreling into town looking for Niklaus she knew she had to let him go if he were to live. Her father would exploit an weakness he could find to put an end to the hybrid...and at the time, she had not quite yet given up hope on her brother.

But when she witnessed her sister's end...Nik plunging that dagger into her heart as if she were just another vampire, and not the loving, dotting sister she'd always been to him...the last string that had been tying her to the man had been cut. And she'd ran.

She was tired of running now, Caroline realized as watched on. Blue orbs fooling Damon as he disappeared down a set of stairs leading to Katerina's own personal hell. Compelled to remain within the walls of her confinement until he said otherwise.

It was a punishment not lost on her. Revenge for what her departure had caused Eli-an incredible sense of lose. In more ways than one. The blond recalled the speckle of adoration in the man's eye whenever the girl was near. Now there was only mild contempt whenever he spoke of her.

_"What is it you want Damon?" Katerina's hoarse voice rang in her ear, drawing her attention._

_"Guess who's back in town... Your old friend John Gilbert."_

Her ears perked up at the name. Eli had not mentioned _another_ Gilbert. One allied with the Petrova-that could not bode well for his plans.

_"Told me this little wives tale about how to kill an original."_

_"And you want to know if it's true? "_

Her heart almost dropped from her chest at his words. He couldn't very well mean what she thought he meant. There was no way he could have found—

_"If it was I wouldn't tell you." The woman stated simply._

_"Now why not? I mean you want Elijah and Klaus dead as much as I do."_

_"Klaus, yes. Elijah, no. He's compelled me to stay in here. If he dies I'm stuck forever."_

_"Sucks for you."_

Caroline's lips twitched into a thin line. Katerina had just l_ied_ to the Salvatore. She _knew_ better than any vampire that the instant an original died all previous compulsion wore off. It was one of the few things Eli had disclosed to her during their time together.

But now that begged the question, why. What was she playing at? Why lie to Damon about a method to kill Elijah if it meant she'd be free?

_"Forget it Damon. Killing Elijah would be a suicide mission. You can't do it."_

_"Can so." He countered with certainty in his voice._

_"Can't."_

_"Even with a dagger and a little white oak ash..."_

Her eyes closed in pause at his words. Of course that had been his big plan. To dagger her brother with the only weapon on the planet know to kill an Original—or at last render one harmless.

A weapon meant to be weald by a _human_. One that would kill a vampire if they used it.

_Set-up_, echoed throughout her subconscious, as she slowly began to piece things together, _Damon is being set up_.

Caroline drowned out the sounds of the brunette's protestant begging. This was Damon's only chance to free himself from Elijah's grasp. But he was ignorant to what possibly using the dagger could mean for him. Using it would only kill him in the process, and she would not let that happen.

Somehow, someway, she had to warn him.

:}{}{}{}{:

"Aren't you the lady from the news?"

It hadn't taken long to track down Damon's new _friend_. After all, Mystic Falls was a small town. She'd found the women sitting by herself at a booth in Mystic Grill, waiting on an order for carry out. Caroline rolled her eyes as she slid into the available seat, plastering a wide smile on her face.

It was difficult for her to be sitting across from the woman Damon was screwing and _not_ rip her throat out. While Elena seemed to be the one who held his heart these days, Andie was the one entertaining his bed. And that pissed her off.

A slightly confused expression-the blond paused, a playful glint in her eye.

"You're Andie Star, right?"

The news woman nodded slowly in understanding, staring across the tabletop at her. A fan, she actually thought the blond was a fan.

There was the usual murky haze behind her gaze as their eyes clashed-she was now under the lull of compulsion.

"You will only speak when answering a question. You will not move and you will not draw attention to us, understood?"

"Yes." Andie breathed out, orbs drifting down to where her feet remained frozen in place. A heaviness creeping in as if there was cool steal bolting her to her seat.

"Damon's dinner party tonight, will you be in attendance?"

"Of course." The woman got out, offering a forced smile as a few patrons waved in their direction. "It was my idea."

"Good." Caroline replied as she pulled out a small slip of paper from her coat pocket. She placed it on the tabletop, sliding it across its wooden surface toward Andie. "I need you to give this to Damon. And _only_ Damon."

Andie picked up the note hesitantly, rolling it over, between her fingers. "Why? What do you want with Damon?"

"Just do it." Caroline ordered through clenched teeth. The urge...the hunger rose up inside her chest, a flare of aggravation. The woman mustered up the courage to move her head, giving a nod of acknowledgment. "Now when your food arrives you will forget I was even here. You will not remember me. All you will renderer is that _a friend_ of Damon's wanted you to give him a message. That note, and that it is of the upmost importance that he see it."

"Damon needs to see this." Andie repeated monotonously, clutching the slip close to her chest. "It's of the upmost importance!"

"Wonderful," the blond sighed, catching sight of an approaching waiter. "Your foods here."

"Wha—" Andie began, blinking once, twice to focus her eyes. She stared at the empty seat across from her...hadn't there...

"Your order ma'am." A voice announced, drawing her out of her train of thoughts. "Something wrong ma'am?"

"Uhh, no," the woman said, more to assure herself than the young man-the familiar sensation that she'd forgotten something was creeping its way at the forefront of her mind.

"Here are the two apple pies you ordered." He informed her, presenting her with the small pie bins. "Enjoy."

"Thanks." She mumbled, fingers moving to stuff the slip of paper into her pocket, absentmindedly before accepting them.

:}{}{}{}{:

"I brought dessert," Andie announced enthusiastically as the front door flew opened. The Salvatore stood in the doorway, half-hearted smile on his face at her arrival. She was the first to turn up for his dinner party, of course. The woman was basically reprogrammed to please him—a slave to his will. She was the only woman in his life at the moment that literally _couldn't_ hurt him or leave him, without his say so.

He stepped aside, allowing her entry.

"Jenna is on her way to help with the cooking," Damon said, trailing after her into the kitchen. He hovered silently behind her, watching as she set the pie bins on the countertop.

"Perfect," Andie exclaimed brightly, hands riding the small pie containers of their plastic lids. "Oh! I ran into a friend of yours..." She informed him, pulling the small slip of paper from her pocket and handing it to him.

"Friend?" He muttered in disbelief, unfolding the sheet. Andie gave a shrug, returning her attention to the pies. "I don't have friends."

If it had been Ric she would have said so, the same with Stefan. Friend insinuated someone else _entirely_.

He felt his body stiffen as he read the note:

**Dagger will kill you. Need human**.

His eyes flickered to the woman. He moved, turning her around and pressing her into the counter. His fingers digging-the flesh under it reddening under the intensity of his hold.

"Who gave you this?" Damon growled.

"I—I don't remember," the woman stammered behind frightened eyes. She flinched as his grip tightened at her words. "I _can't_ remember."

Damon groaned, "You've been compelled."

His hands dropped to his sides, note long forgotten. Someone had gotten to Andie, given her the message for him. A warning—if it was even true. His mind wandered back to the day the unknown had saved him. Could it be the same person trying to caution him? Some guardian angel working to make sure he didn't get his ass killed…but then, after everything he's ever done, why would anyone want to protect him? Warn him—He wouldn't put it past John to try something like this. Send him to his death. Anything to get him out of Elena's life for good.

But who...who could it have been, when the only the people who'd ever tried helping him were his brother, Alaric, and the Gilbert girl...he didn't _make_ friends. He ate them—drank then dry and left their bodies for the worms. Or at least he used to.

"What does it say, Damon?" Andie asked, desperately trying to recall who it was that had given her the note. Her voice reminding him of her presence, he stuffed the paper into his back pocket.

The familiar sound of the doorbell cut him off before he could answer her question.

It was Jenna, he surmised.

"Change of plans," Damon began, already making his way toward the sound as another ding echoed throughout the home, "Looks like you're killing an Original tonight."

:}{}{}{}{:

It had been hours since Eli had departed for the dinner party, and not one call had come in—no order to kill, or indication that something had happened. Which could only mean _one_ thing. Damon had been successful. He'd gotten her message and had found another way to stake Elijah. Her brother, who'd trusted her to follow him obediently for all eternity, was gone. The last of her family—

A small piece of her felt an overwhelming sense of guilt, while the larger part of her knew it was for the best. She was free to pursue her own methods of ridding the world of Niklaus, once and for all. And now she could do it without fear of Eli finding out and interfering.

"I'm going to have to see some ID ma'am?"

Caroline turned her head as the barkeep appeared before her, tired smile on his face.

Her lips turned into a frown as she stared back at him. The curse of eternity—she would always look young. Too young to drink. And damn if she didn't get a drink she was sure she might reach across the bar and bit the man.

"I'm well over 21," she sighed, resting an elbow on the bar top and leaned forward. "Bourbon, please. And leave the bottle."

"Of course ma'am."

The taste reminded her of Damon, and the late nights they spent together cuddled up beside a fire. They'd drink until their hunger was staid then head out to the local juice joint to dance. Together—they were better than they ever were apart. And now...the only thing keeping her from removing the compulsion she placed over him now was the threat of Klaus. Any sign of weakness from her and he'd pounce like a shark that'd smelt blood in the water.

Damon had dealt with Eli (_his body was safe from true harm_, she concluded since they did not have in their possession a stake craved from the white oak tree), leaving only Jonas and Luka to be dealt with. Her choices: _keep them or kill them. _But there was still one more thing she needed to do before she even attempted to cross that bridge.

* * *

><p><em>Ding…ding…ding…<em>

He looked up from the grayed, suite-clad body laying on the cement floor of the basement as the noise pulled him for his nth attempt at killing the Original. His eyes flickered up the ceiling, an uneasy feeling washing over him at the interruption. Stefan was staying over at the Gilbert's, making sure nothing else happened to Elena. Alaric had left for his apartment shortly after the dinner party, and the man had sent Andie on her merry way after she'd played her part. John and Jenna had left too, leaving him to deal with one neutralized Elijah.

The Salvatore hadn't even realized he'd moved until he was standing at the front door, his hand hovering over its knob. Something…he didn't know what…was pulling him. Whatever it was, stood on the other side. His fingers tingled as he grasped the cooper metal of the handle, turning it slowly. He pulled, eyes widening in confusion at the sight before him. Standing on his stoop was a girl that couldn't have been older than Elena. She had blond locks flowing down to her shoulders, like rays of sunlight beaming down from heaven and the bluest eyes staring back at him which held a glint of some unknown emotion in them. Pink lips set in a soft smile. She was beautiful, he would admit. The complete opposite of Elena and Katherine. Where they were exotic and dark, she was inviting and bright. It was as if she were walking sunshine.

"Who—"

"Hello, Damon." She breathed, stuffing her hands inside the pockets of her black coat, a gift from her brother Kol before he'd been…taken out. The Salvatore's eyes narrowed at that, face contorting into a harden stare of suspicion.

"Who are you?"

Her gaze dropped for a moment, as the memory of their memory crossed her mind. His distrust was warranted; after all she was a complete _stranger_ to him. Why should he trust her? Caroline returned her attention to the man's face, giving him her undivided attention.

"A friend." The blond stated plainly, leaving no room for emotion to scathe her tone.

His brows scrunched together, lips turning into a scowl as his mind raced for some recollection of where he'd heard that phrase before. Andie—when she had given him the note.

"The note…it was you," Damon got out as he began to piece things together. He took a step forward, leaning into the entryway. Caroline gave a nod, resisting the urge to reach out and run a hand through his dark locks. "And at the warehouse?"

Another nod. "I'm Caroline."

She studied his face, watching for any signs of recognition of the name. But, why would there be? She'd wiped his memory of _them_ clean. He tilted his head, waiting for her to continue. "I believe you've already been acquainted with my brother, Elijah."

His body stiffened, hand moving to place the door between him and her. Her hand caught him before he could complete the action, fingers clasped around the cuff of his shirt.

"Damon," She began as his gaze dwindled down to where she held him. "I'm not here to _save _my brother. I'm here to help you _kill_ one."

"Why would you want to help me?" the Salvatore inquired darkly, staring back at her with a fire behind his eyes she'd only ever seen when he was under the pain of extreme hunger. Caroline was unwavering under his scrutiny as she spoke up.

"_Simple_. I want Klaus dead, and I know you want to make sure Elena is still alive afterwards." She ignored the stale taste of the girl's name when it crossed her tongue. She was pleading her case, and going for the man's weakness. His unflinching need to protect the doppelganger.

The only _true_ weapon that could kill an original was in the hands of her father, and he'd had his sights set on killing Nik since they'd begun their lives of immorality. But that didn't mean she was in any hurry to mark a big X on some map directing him to Mystic Falls. To Damon.

The man was ruthless, and nobody would be spared. "I can _help_."

:}{}{}{}{:

"_Who_ is she?" Elena asked the moment she entered her boyfriend's bedroom to find some unfamiliar blond looking over the contents of his bookshelf. The girl turned toward the voice, the habitual sound bringing back memories of when her and Tatia washed clothes by the lake together on warm afternoons.

"Caroline," She said as she took a hesitant step from the bookcase. She did not want to frighten the girl with her identity quite yet. A familiar feeling washed over her as she caught Damon watching her. It sent a shiver down her spine. "Pleasure to meet you, Elena."

"How—Are you a friend of Stefan?" The brunette inquired, gaze sweeping to where her boyfriend stood, arms crossed over his chest. He shook his head.

"I prefer the _other_ Salvatore, actually," Caroline quipped brightly, pushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear as she continued. "My brother, Elijah told me about the…_predicament _that you have seemed to find yourself in."

The blond could hear the change in rhythm of the girl's heart beat as a wave of panic washed over her. She rolled her eyes. The girl was afraid she was there to hurt her.

"I'm here to make sure _nothing _happens to you." She reassured her with a wide smile. "Unlike, Eli, I'd prefer to kill Klaus before he can complete the ritual."

"If Elijah couldn't keep me from dying in his scenario, how could _you_?" The girl bit back, disbelief evident in her tone. It was hard to look at the girl, the man she loved cared about with all his heart and not nip an artery. But she managed it with a pleasant enough grace about her,

"My mother was the witch who cursed him…when I was _human…_she taught me." Caroline informed her, closing the distance between them until they were standing toe to toe. She guessed the only thing that was keeping the Salvatore brothers from trying to keep her away from the doppelganger was the fact that the only weapon that could render her powerless was currently plunged within the depths of her brother's heart. "I know that when Katerina was found, Eli was looking for another way to break the curse without risking the death of the doppelganger. But that is not the _only_ way."

"What do you mean?" Stefan asked, finally speaking up.

She turned her head to stare at him briefly. "You have a lot to learn."

"Just tell us." Damon grumbled from where he stood, studying her movements.

"When I was a little girl I remember coming across something in my mother's grimoire. It was a spell. It wasn't to kill someone…more like debilitate them."

"Like a coma?" Elena inquired, eyes dancing as thoughts ran through her head.

The blond nodded. "The only known weapon to kill an Original is gone. If your witch can find the spell, we might be able to save you."

"My witch?" The girl asked with feigned confusion.

"The Bennett girl," Caroline declared knowingly. "I know all about her. Now, if she is as good as her ancestors then you may just live. Have her find the spell, and when she does call me."

She moved to exit the room but froze at the sound of his voice.

"I don't have your number." _Damon_—her eyes closed at the smoothness of which he spoke.

She peeked over her shoulder. "I put it in your phone when you weren't looking."

"Where are you going?" Stefan solicited before she could leave.

"I'm going to _try_ and recruit some witches. If I remember correctly, the more _the merrier_ when it comes to them_._" And with that she was gone.

"I don't trust her."Stefan spoke up the moment he was sure she was out of earshot.

Damon had to admit, he was reluctant to trust her as well. It was going against the better part of his nature. But for some reason, some part of him wanted to fall in line behind her, and that was _never_ the case. Maybe it was the fact that she had already saved him twice…or the softness in her blue eyes…he shook his head as Elena moved to hug his brother.

"I don't either." She whispered into his neck before pulling away. "Elijah never mentioned a sister."

"She said he wanted to keep her presence a secret." Damon informed them, paraphrasing from what the blond had told him. "He was afraid it would scare Klaus off if he had to deal with two seriously pissed off Originals."

"Then maybe we should undagger Elijah." The brunette said as she moved to sit on the side of Stefan's bed. "Maybe the two of them _together_ would be enough to keep Klaus away."

"Don't be an idiot Elena," the older Salvatore choked out, turning his serious stare to her, "The moment we did that, we'd be the ones dealing with a seriously pissed off Original. We already have to work with Vampire _Barbie_…let's try and be smart about this."

"She obviously wants her brother dead," Stefan said rubbing the bridge of his nose in thought. "And to help keep Elena alive…"

"Or so she _says_," the girl reminded. They were not a very trusting group. But what other options did they have. If they tried to go against her she could easily turn around and tear their hearts out with a perfectly manicured hand.

"Let's just do what she says for now," Damon said after a moment of silence. It couldn't hurt. She knew more about the enemy than they did. Hell_, the enemy of my enemy is my friend_. And her proposition was nowhere near as unappealing as Elijah's had been once they'd learnt the truth. "She's the only one who knows what the man looks life for fucks sake."

"What about Katherine?" Elena asked. At least she _knew_ the woman for what she was. Had no qualms about their relationship and what ulterior motives she could be hiding.

"Gone," Damon sighed at the mention of the woman. "As soon as Elijah died the compulsion wore off. She's probably on a plane to Bali by now."

"Then…the only person we have that can help us is…"

"The Original sister." Stefan finished for the girl whose expression was now crestfallen. "We're screwed."

:}{}{}{}{:

She watched as father and son interacted. The two warlocks sat at a booth in Mystic Grill, talking amongst themselves. The way their eyes stared into each other's with _such _understanding…the _love_ that circulated between them…the kind that her brother had never received from Mikael. The pain he had been put through. Torment unusual for a boy his age, up until the day they'd been cursed. At some point in time, even she had looked up to her father in the manner of a young, _naive _girl seeking the affections of a parent.

Caroline glided through the mass of people crowding the floor of the bar and grill. The heady scent of sweat meeting her nostrils as she passed, washing over her. It was a smell she had become quite familiar with since her arrival. The same people, same _faces_ in such a small town.

"Jonas Martin," She called out to him as she approached, "Luka."

The two turned to stare at her, the undeniable look of mistrust on their faces as she came to a stop at the head of their small table. She offered a warm smile before continuing.

"I'm Caroline Mikaelson," she said, weighing her choice of words carefully. Eli had informed her of the two's _motivation_ for helping him. A lost witch, a daughter and sister to the two. "I believe you were helping my brother with _something_."

"Were?" Luka spoke up, the voice of confusion. "Where is—"

"Luka." His father said, silencing him. He was a cautious man. Not a stupid one. An Original, in any form, was a being of unspeakable power. He would not have his son anger the blond and have her snap and kill him.

"It's fine," Caroline assured him, blue orbs looking between the two for a moment. "Elijah is _tied up_, at the moment. So…I am here with a certain…request."

"Which would be?" Jonas inquired, pushing the frame of his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

The blond gave a thoughtful sigh, resting her palm of the edge of their table, leaning forward to speak. "That you help the Bennett witch. I have her looking for a spell that can incapacitate Klaus. One that will grant your daughter her freedom _and_ spare Elena's life."

"How do you know about this _spell_?" Jonas asked, studying her reaction. He was looking for any sign of falsehood. An indication that she was lying.

"My mother…was a _very_ powerful witch." She said, leaning on the heels of her feet, "I remember it well. And with combined efforts our _mutual _Klaus problem will be extinguished."

"Dad," Luka spoke up, staring back at his father with the sudden seriousness of a wise man. "Do it…for Greta, dad."

The man looked back at his son, whose eyes were pleading with him to accept the offer. The _better_ offer, at the moment.

"I—we accept," Dr. Martin finally got out, extending a hand to the blond. Her expression grew solemn as she accepted the gesture, shaking hands with the warlock.

"_Thank you._"

:}{}{}{}{:

He'd been unable to find a way to _completely_ rid himself of Elijah's body. Hell, when a flamethrower doesn't work it's time to call it quits. So now, he found himself sitting in bed, reading something called _Twilight_. He shuddered at the thought that _this_ was the latest teen craze. A love story about a girl stuck between a bedazzled vampire and abs crunching werewolf.

"Funny. I would have pegged you for the _Interview with the Vampire _type," a familiar voice announced from the doorway. His eyes moved to the sound as the blond entered his room, closing the door behind her.

Brow raised, his eyes roamed over her form. The porcelain white purity of her skin, unobstructed by any sign of a blemish, her bare, long, slender legs—feet padding across the floor toward his bed. She was dressed in a dark blue nightie that stopped mid-thigh. His gaze trailed up to where the gown offered an exceptional view of her ample cleavage. Her blond locks fell past her shoulders, tickling the exposed flesh.

"How did recruitment go?" He asked, setting the book aside. That _had_ to be why she was there, in his room. Dressed like _that._

Her lips curved into a sly smile as she crawled onto the bed, with the grace of a cat, on all fours. He took in the familiar scent of sun, rain, and vanilla as she inched closer. And still_ closer._

"_Wonderfully_," Caroline purred, reaching a hand out and trailing up his chest. A sudden heat from her touch made him jump in surprise. His body's reaction to her was almost frightening to say the least. He hardly knew the woman and although he wasn't one for formalities when it came to casual sex she was the enemy, in a sense. He should have more control over himself. But he found himself leaning into her touch as she moved to straddle him, resting her free hand on his cheek.

"Da-mon." She whispered delicately, leaning forward to capture his lips.

_Ring…_The sweet taste of her lips_…ring…_it was intoxicating_…ring…_

Damon bolted up out of bed, cold sweat trailing down his back as a ring echoed throughout his room. It was his phone he realized, hand searching through the dark for the cellular. He brought it to his ear not bothering to read the name flashing across its screen.

"Damon—"

"Hello?" He grumbled, uncertain if the voice he heard was who he thought it was.

"Damon. Isobel…she's back," Elena, he recognized the voice to be. There had been a tremor in her voice. It only took a moment for him to register what she had just said.

"Fuck." The Salvatore breathed. First his dream, and now this? It was starting to look like his luck was running out.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Thanks for reading. Please leave a review.<strong>_


	5. Chapter 5

**Title:** the other Mikaelson girl

**Pairing:** Caroline/Damon: Damon/Elena/Stefan: Damon/Katherine

**Rating:** M

**Warnings:** Language, Violence, and Sexual Situations

**Alternate History:** Caroline the eldest daughter of the Original family has been on the run from Niklaus since the daggering of Rebekah. But when she receives an interesting call with the promise of finally ending the Hybrid she finds herself in Mystic Falls, faced with a man from her past that she hasn't been able to forget.

**Important Note:** This chapter is set in "Know Thy Enemy" and "The Last Dance". Also I do **not** in any way own "Something" by the Beatles...I just enjoy listening to it. _This chapter will make a lot of people both elated and depressed, _you are warned.

* * *

><p>Her eyes<p>

She's on the dark side

Neutralize

Every man in sight

_**Angel**__, Massive Attack_

* * *

><p><strong>V<strong>

Well, _this_ had never been a part of her plan. Things were progressively growing more and more complicated by the minute. The _unexpected_ arrival of Isobel Saltzman, the apparent mother, turned vampire, of Elena had caused quite the stir at the Gilbert residence.

"I _could_ compel her to leave," Caroline offered sympathetically, eyeing the devastated doppelganger as she paced the length of the room. "Or Jenna to forget, if you wish."

The brunette paused mid-step, "I _can't_ do that, again. Not to Jenna."

Caroline nodded in understanding. It had been…_hard_ to say the least compelling Damon to forget her. Something she wished she'd never have to do. But at the time she had seen no other way to keep him safe. She was supposed to leave with Nik and Bekah. Keep running with them from their father, but two things occurred that she had not been prepared to deal with. The first being _a call_—from Elijah, warning her that Mikael was on his way to Chicago. And then…later on that night, the scene of Niklaus daggering their _beloved_ sister.

:}{}{}{}{:

_**Chicago 1922**_

_Click. Click. Click._ Her heels snapped along the pavement. She was running—it seemed she would always be running. From her father (and later, her brother). From certain death. But she was also running toward something. She was in a race, pressed for time. An unexpected call had cut her date night with Damon short, for what appeared would be their last moments together. The realization that she had to leave Damon overwhelmed her with sadness, but the _thought_ of pulling him into her world of _distrust_ and _misery_…Eli's voice held warning as he informed her that Mikael was _in_ Chicago, looking for Niklaus.

Gloria's—that is where he and Bekah were sure to be that night. And that is where she was headed.

"_What did you do?"_ Her ears picked up the habitual voice. _Rebekah_! They were at the back entrance of the speakeasy. Relief washed over her as she trailed along the side of the structure. _"Come on, we do not have time for one of your tantrums."_ Her brother asserted. Caroline paused, turning the corner to see her siblings standing before one another, both wearing hard expressions.

"_I don't want to run anymore Nik. All we do is run!"_ The young blond exclaimed as she yanked her arm out of Nik's grasp. _"I want to be with Stefan."_

Caroline understood her sister _completely_. Every fiber of her being was calling for the Salvatore…aching with the need only his touch could subdue. Merely looking into his beautiful, blue eyes and she was lost. But, unlike her sister, she wasn't naïve to the lengths their father would go to get to Nik.

"_Fine…"_ Nikalus breathed out, taking a step toward their sister. _"Then choose. Him or me…"_

The moment Bekah closed her eyes Caroline knew what her choice was. The foolish things a girl in love did.

"_That's what I thought."_ Klaus said, turning away from her, both still ignorant to her presence just a few feet away. _"Get in the truck. Let's go."_

"_Goodbye Nik."_ The blond whispered into the night air, suppressing tears that wished to form.

Caroline's eyes fluttered close…she did not wish to part with her sister. She and Niklaus were _all_ she had left. But she understood the _pull_ of love. A gasp.

Her eyes opened at the small noise. _Bekah—_Nik had plunged a dagger in her heart. Her hand flew to her mouth, chocking back the sharp intake a breath that threatened to alert him she was there.

She moved into the shadow of night, pressing her back into the wall of the building. Is that what will happen to _her_ if ever she wished to leave her brother's side? A chill crept up her spine at the thought of being lost to the world forever. If he were to do with Rebekah what he'd done to Kol and Finn…drop her at the bottom of the ocean, never to be found again? She had to run…where could she run?

_Eli_—he had managed to evade Niklaus' wrath for years…maybe he could protect her, too.

:}{}{}{}{:

"What am I looking for?" Bonnie spoke up, peeking over the thick stack of grimoires on the table before her. Jonas and Luka had collected all of the _Witch's Cookbooks_, as Damon liked to put it, and brought them over to the Salvatore boarding house to look through.

Damon looked up from his spot on the settee furnishing the den. His feet propped up at its end. "A spell that will incapacitate Klaus." Luka offered, eyes skimming through the contents of a particularly old, leather bound book.

The Bennett scoffed, "How do we even know this spell _exists_? What? Just because this _Original_ says it does?"

Damon had to admit he was a bit skeptical that there was even such a spell in existence…but Emily had proved him long ago the wondrous capabilities of the realm of witchcraft. What was _so wrong_ with wanting to finally _believe_ in something—in anything that was good, and there to _help _him. The Original sister had yet to prove him wrong. To earn any amount of distrust from him. It was enigmatic that he felt so compelled to believe in her.

"Come on, Damon," Bonnie said, appealing to his better judgment. "I _know_ you aren't so quick to trust this girl."

The Salvatore stared back at her for a second, face hardened with lines of thought. He wasn't normally quick to turn his back to someone and see if they'd stab him for the hell of it. His gaze flickered to where Luka and Jonas sat, watching him, and waiting for his reply. As if they were looking to _him_ to decide on whether they should continue down the road they were on. Instead of looking for a way to save Elijah.

He merely shrugged his soldiers. "I think we should listen to the blonde. I mean, who else knows more about the enemy than her?"

"_Elijah_," the young warlock pointed out, as if Damon had forgotten.

"That's a great idea. Trust the guy who can't even promise to keep the doppelganger alive." The man rolled his eyes. "No offense Jonas, but your son is none too bright."

Jonas sent the vampire a scowl before returning his attention to the grimoire sitting before him.

Damon smirked at the response. Oh, how he loved to antagonize the _witch-folk_. His lips quivered as he felt a heated stare on him. His eyes drifted up and across the floor of the room. There _she_ was. The girl who'd invaded his dreams. She had _finally_ returned from her little field trip to the Gilbert residence to make sure Elena had not been harmed by the arrival of Isobel.

"_Hey_," She smiled, unraveling the crimson colored scarf from around her neck and hanging it up on the rack by the door.

"How is Elena?" Bonnie spoke up, drawing her gaze away from the man. She didn't miss the hint of distaste in the witch's voice.

The blond's eyes darted to her when she spoke. "Better than anyone else would be doing _considering_…how's the spell hunt going?"

"Fruitless," Jonas informed her, standing up from his seat to collect a stack of grimoires, "_but_ there are a few more pages to look through."

"I'm sure we'll find it." Caroline said positive of that fact. "I need to change. Damon…mind if I use your shower?"

The Salvatore nodded slowly at her inquisition. The image of her, in his shower, came to the forefront of his mind. It was amazing how he seemed to _know_ just how she'd looked with water cascading down the expanse of her porcelain white skin. The _soft hue of pink in her cheeks_…_the tattoo of a swallow on her wrist as her hand reach out_…for him.

:}{}{}{}{:

"_Do you really think Isobel is telling the truth that word has gotten out about the doppelganger?"_ Elena inquired, hands fiddling in her lap as all the possibilities of what that could mean for her ran through her mind.

"Look, I don't trust a word that she says but…I think we'd be stupid to ignore the warning." Stefan acknowledged after a moment of thought. Isobel's arrival only seemed to be ruffling a lot of feathers.

"You know—." The older Salvatore began before a familiar voice cut him off.

"It's not a warning," Caroline announced, entering the room with an easy grace. He could not help but let his eyes travel down the length of her body. She was dressed in a black v-neck top, a dark, brown leather jacket hugging her frame, and a tight pair of dark-wash jeans.

"What do you mean?" Elena sounded alarmed. She turned in her seat, giving the blond her full attention.

"It's to be expected that word would get out. How do you think Rose and her Trevor friend found you?" She sighed, staring back at the girl sympathetically. "Blind luck? No. They were _looking_ for you. Nik has dozens of eyes and ears…it wouldn't take long for wind of your existence to reach his ears."

"Well that's convenient." Damon grumbled, tossing his hands up in exasperation. "And, you're staying here…" He continued, this time addressing Elena, "…It's better for us to keep an eye on you."

That was _right._ Isobel _had _offered to take Elena to a safe house—a precaution for when Klaus showed up in Mystic Falls looking for his precious doppelganger.

"In the house that _any_ vampire can enter? No," Stefan countered, setting his sights on the girl. "Her house his safer."

"It's settled then," Caroline sighed as she looked between the two brothers. "She will stay there. Boys, she doesn't need to be _coddled_ like an infant. Just kept alive."

She empathized with the girl. It must be hard having two men trying _so hard_ to keep her safe and have to worry about not only their safety, but the safety of all her friends and family. Elena had an internal strength that reminded her of Tatia…on the other hand, she did not seem to realize how _lucky_ she was to have a man as honorable as Damon willing and ready to do whatever she asked of him.

She turned on her heel before either Salvatore could voice a reply. She could feel the heat of Damon's hard stare on her back as she exited the room. If he _knew_ just what that one glance did to her.

:}{}{}{}{:

Two things she had not expected to happen: Isobel killing John Gilbert and Elena going _missing_. She did not know how to react to his words when Stefan had called, after waking from his stupor. It had been Katerina's doing, of course. How had she not seen this coming? Kidnapping Elena and bringing her to Klaus herself would be _just _the thing to keep the man from hunting her down. A smart move on her part.

"_What_ happened?" She spoke into the cellular, standing from the lounge chair that she'd been occupying in the Salvatore study.

"_Katherine_." The Salvatore had stated simply. Caroline couldn't believe she had not foreseen this. She knew she should have ripped out her heart when she had the chance. He informed her of the attack on John—perfectly orchestrated with the switching of Katherine and the doppelganger. It sickened her to realize that she had let the man down—that Elena was _gone._

"Fuck," She muttered, raising a hand to her head.

"She wasn't at Isobel's," She heard Damon say blandly. She surmised the two were out looking for the girl. Holding on to some _glimmer_ of hope that the girl could be saved.

"Where else cou—"

_Ding…ding…_

Her eyebrows scrunched up together—_who could that possibly be?_ "Hold on…"

Caroline slowly circulated toward the front door of the boarding house as the bell reverberated throughout the halls. A knock . She sighed as she reached the entrance, pulling the door open with a quick sweep of the arm.

She was a bit surprised, taking in the sudden appearance of the man that stood out on the Salvatore's stoop. He wore a sullen expression, fingers curled around a black, leather bound book, knuckles visibly whitening from the pressure of the hold he had over it.

"Jonas," the blond greeted, though at the moment the last thing on her mind was sharing pleasantries. Not with the doppelganger _missing_. Wait! The man had managed to find the girl before…for Eli. He could very well do it again. "I need you—"

"The _spell_," He cut her off. "I've found it."

Her eyes widened at his words—_found it_? Well, that was _another_ thing she hadn't quite expected to happen that day. Maybe a small part of her doubted she'd actually succeed in ending her brother. But now that the spell was in arms reach…

"Great," She mumbled, stepping aside and allowing him entry. "Too bad we're a doppelganger short."

"Wha—what happened to Elena?" the warlock inquired quickly to the news. He trailed after her as she disappeared into the parlor, heading straight for the glass of bourbon calling her name.

"Katherine and Isobel are what happened," Caroline growled out, pouring herself a shot and bringing it to her lips. She pushed it back, the familiar dull ache crawling up her throat. She told him of the attack on John Gilbert and how it posed as a distraction for Katerina to switch places with the girl.

"Katherine?" He sounded surprised by the name. "I thought she left town."

"We all did," she muttered, pouring herself another shot. The lingering taste of blood from her morning breakfast was still there. "And now Elena is gone."

"Not so gone," A voice said, announcing them to another occupant in the room. The blond's head snapped toward the archway leading into the hallway. _Elena_—she stood there, albeit a bit shaken up.

"I'll call Damon and tell him to call off the search party," Caroline informed no one in particular, turning to address the brunette before leaving the room. "I'm happy you're okay."

* * *

><p>"Do you really think this spell will work?" Damon asked her the following day as they congregated outside of the Salvatore boarding house. The blond crossed her legs, she had been sitting on the brick wall that lined the walkup and was growing tired of waiting for the realtor and Elena to finish their business.<p>

"Jonas and Bonnie have looked over the spell, Damon," she said softly, not bite in her tone as she spoke to him. "It'll work. _I promise._"

There she went again. Making another promise to the man she wasn't quite sure she could keep.

"So, now all we have to do is find him." Stefan chimed in from where he stood leaning beside her.

"Can't they do one of those _witch_ tracking spells?" the older Salvatore asked hopefully. Caroline shook her head.

"Not without something that belongs to him. Sorry." She wished she had kept the photo of him—hadn't burned it in a fit of anger one night as memories of everything he'd ever done came flooding back to her.

A moment of silence. "We can't tell _anyone_."

It was Caroline who'd spoken up. She had been thinking about it since the warlock had come to her with the key to killing Klaus.

"What?" Stefan and Damon said in accord.

"I am to assume that Niklaus already knows _everything_ Isobel and Katherine knew and were informed." She surmised staring between the two Salvatores. "That means the only two things he doesn't know are that _I_ am in town and have in my possession the spell to put an end to him. We must keep the information to ourselves. Who else knows I'm here?"

"Elena, Bonnie and the Martins," Damon rattled off with his fingers.

"Then they are the _only _ones that can know I'm here." Caroline declared unmoving.

"Thank you Mr. Henry," Elena's voice filled the morning air as the front door to the estate opened. The three vampires nodded to the old man upon his departure. They paused as the invisible, protective barrier kept them from entering.

"I'm sorry. I completely forgot," Elena said with exasperation. "Stefan…would you like to come inside my house?"

Caroline rolled her eyes at the dumbfounded smile on the girl's face.

"I would love to," he declared wearing a wide smile as he entered. "Thank you."

Elena's eyes flickered to the older Salvatore, smile dropping from sight.

"What are we, twelve?" Damon inquired good-humoredly. Of course she would make this more difficult for him than it needed to be. There was an animosity between them that was almost palpable.

"One of us is," She said, a hinting judgment of him in her tone. Elena turned to look at the vampires. There was a pensive look on her face as if she was trying to figure something out. And with Elena that meant she was trying to determine _what _she would do. After a moment of thought, "Caroline, please, come in."

"Thanks." The blond muttered, crossing over the threshold and into the hallway.

:}{}{}{}{:

Klaus was finally here. And he was taunting Elena. Taunting all of them with just how close he could get to them. Compelling one of their classmates to give the doppelganger a message—he'd be _seeing_ her at the dance. The girl had called a meeting. Aside from Vampire Barbie and Luka, who were working on gathering intel on where exactly Klaus was hiding out in town, everyone from their trusted circle was in attendance.

A _knock_ at the door interpreted the discussion. Alaric appeared a moment later, head peeking into the home before stepping inside.

"There you are." Damon called out to him, watching the man close the door behind him.

"Sorry I'm late," Ric apologized, stepping out into the foyer.

"Hey, I need you to put me down as a chaperon at the dance tonight." The Salvatore said, enlightening him to what had just occurred. "Klaus made his first move."

"Okay, so we find him, then what?" Elena spoke up, bringing attention back to the issue at hand. The fact that the Original sister was not answering her phone was a bit disheartening. It was her plan after all. "What's our plan of attack?"

_Silence. _Jonas was the first to speak up. "_I_ could…channel the power of the witches and use it to incapacitate Klaus."

It had been Elijah's original plan to have a witch channel enough magic to kill the man during his transition into a hybrid. Maybe he could do it without having to go through with the ritual…it wasn't as if Caroline was there to protest.

"Give you guys time to protect Elena," He finished, bowing his head. Giving his words time to sink in among the group.

"It's not going to be _that_ easy," Alaric piped with a light chuckle, "He's the biggest, baddest vampire around."

"Alaric has a _point_,' Damon agreed, tilting his head in thought. "I mean what if he—"

"No…that might _work_," Bonnie cut him off, raising a hand to silence him. "If he could channel enough power, he could do it. But…he'd have to visit the witch's burial site before tonight."

The older Salvatore nodded. He'd give the man the location before he left.

"Wait, what about Caroline's plan?" Elena spoke up suddenly. Of course, she would be the one to bring up the Original sister. But everyone else in the room knew of her, aside from Ric who wore an obviously confused expression. He was a little late in the game and didn't quite know all the players on the board, yet.

"Elijah's sister," Damon explained. If anyone could talk about the blond it was him. Every time he closed his eyes to rest there _she_ was. At first he'd thought she'd simply been invading his dream space, but the fact that she was over at Elena's when it had happened…scary notion to grasp. "She's here to help us kill Klaus."

"_Oh…"_ Alaric mumbled, eyes falling to his feet.

""Her plan _would_ work. But it's dangerous," Jonas sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose absentmindedly. "You'd be putting a human life at risk."

"And we wouldn't want _that_," Damon muttered under his breath in retort. God, he missed the days when he could just walk up to someone, rip their heart out and _not_ feel guilty. Guilt, though was a funny thing. Because he was pretty certain the twinge in his chest that he was feeling was not from the sudden change in plan, but from the fact that Caroline wasn't there to state her opinion on the matter. He pushed the feeling aside as he looked around his companions. "Let's kill an Original."

:}{}{}{}{:

Damon had called her and informed her of the change in plans. They were going to the Decade Dance and they _would_ be killing Klaus tonight, with…_or without_ her. She swallowed her pride at the fact that they weren't going through with her plan. So, it seemed, she would see how far the troop could get on the Klaus front through their own methods. It wasn't as if he could _kill_ them, Caroline thought, with a painful sarcasm she winced. Damon dead was not a pretty picture.

"_Any time tonight,"_ She heard Damon declare as she entered the hall from the guest room the Salvatore brothers had been gracious enough to let her stay in. With a sigh, she took in his form from behind. Head-to-toe black was definitely sexy.

"Yes, let's please hurry," Caroline spoke up, gently pushing past the man into his brother's room. All eyes were on her as she took a few graceful steps toward the box of clothing on the desk before Stefan and Elena. What could she say? She _loved_ a good party.

She'd managed to _find_ a suit that mirrored the iconic pink channel suit First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy wore in the sixties. On her head was a black pillbox hat with matching gloves. Damon's eyes followed her as she fingered the fabric of a dress in the box absentmindedly.

"What do you think you're _doing?_" He asked, looking at her through narrowed eyes which seemed to be wandering over the length of her legs.

She turned on her heel to address him wearing a calculated smile. "Do any of you know what my brother_ looks_ like?"

"No but, I thought you didn't want anyone to know you were here. That will pretty much go out the window if you come with us. What if—"

The blond cut him off before he could voice his concern. "The way I see it, you need me there, if you want Jonas' plan to work. Since mine is too _dangerous…_"

Damon ignored the pang of regret. He had thought about speaking up in favor of her plan, but he knew exactly how Elena would feel putting someone's life in danger. Her looked to his brother, who simply conceded his agreement of the vampiress going. "Fine…You can be _my_ date."

A soft smile graced her lips at his words. They made her insides turn right side up.

"Well then I'm a _lucky_ girl."

:}{}{}{}{:

The moment they arrived at the dance Klaus had left yet _another_ message for Elena—in the form of a disturbing song dedication. Damon suggested they _blend_ with the rest of the partygoers and simply _wait_ for Klaus to come to them. If he was even there. The girl had made it clear that she knew everyone there. So they disbanded across the space. Not the _brightest _idea he ever had, but—

"A special dedication, huh," Alaric said as he approached the man, "This guy's a little _twisted._"

"I'm not impressed." The Salvatore scoffed, looking over the sea of pubescent faces. Caroline had disappeared at the entrance of the school, leaving him dateless. He was surprised how much it hurt him that she'd left his side. Left _him_. But then, everyone woman in his life did that—first his mother, who'd died shortly after giving birth to Stefan, than Katherine…and later Rose, though that had been his own fault.

"_No?_" He heard Ric ask with a hint of surprise in his tone. But he'd stopped listening to his friend the moment he caught sight of her blond head. She was standing by the punch bowl, on the other side of the room.

_**Something in the way she moves**_

_**Attracts me like no other lover**_

"Let me know if you see anything out of whack,' Damon said, leaving his friend to chaperone on his own. It was like he was drawn to her, for whatever reason he did not know why. But he pushed past the dancing couples until he finally reached her.

_**Something in the way she woos me**_

"Dance with me." He spoke up over the familiar tune as it played throughout the extravagantly decorated gym.

_**I don't want to leave her now**_

_**You know I believe and how**_

The blond's eyes snapped toward the voice, widening slightly at his sudden appearance. Her lips quirked into a smile at the request. It had been _years_ since she'd danced with the man. She accepted his hand as he pulled her out onto the dance floor, only a few feet away from Stefan and Elena.

_**Somewhere in her smile she knows**_

_**That I don't need no other lover**_

He pressed her slender frame against his body, looping an arm around her waist tightly and took her hand in his. She did not flinch when his fingers pressed too roughly into her hip, instead simply resting her free hand on his shoulder as they swayed to the music—an uncharacteristic ease to their movements.

_**Something in her style that shows me**_

_**I don't want leave her now**_

_**You know I believe and how**_

"Have you seen him?" Damon asked her gently.

The blond shook her head, eyes sweeping over the room before returning to him.

"Maybe he's not here." He offered hopefully, but in truth the song request had been enough of a point proven. Klaus could get to _anyone_ at anytime and they would never even know he was there until it was too late.

"Doubtful," Caroline sighed, expression cold at the thought of her brother. "But optimistic."

_**You're asking me will my love grow**_

_**I don't know, I don't know**_

"Where's Jonas?" He asked as he stepped back, twirling her out, before pulling her back into him.

"I don't know," She admitted, turning in his arms so that her back was pressed firmly against his chest. The sensation of warmth washing over her—a familiar tingle. He wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin in the crook of her neck. Her scent was intoxicating—light vanilla and the euphoric hint of _summer_.

_**You stick around and it may show**_

_**I don't know, I don't know**_

"I tried calling him when we got here." Caroline informed him sullenly. "Something is _wrong_, Damon…I can _feel_ it."

"Damon," Stefan called, hand pulling his brother from his dance. "Luka just called."

The two turned their attention to the young Salvatore at the news.

"Jonas is…_dead._" He informed them in a whisper so that no one else overheard their conversation on the dead warlock that had been scheming with them to kill an Original Vampire. "Luka went to the burial site when he didn't pick up. His neck was broken."

"Klaus," Damon deadpanned. Klaus had _not_ been at the dance after all. He merely baited them into going so that he could kill their witch. The question was…how did he know about Jonas?

"We need to go," Stefan said leaving no room for argument. "I'll get the car."

"We'll look for Elena." The older Salvatore sighed, grabbing hold of her hand and leading the way into the hall.

:}{}{}{}{:

"_Go find Judgy and Elena"_—had been the last thing to come out the Salvatore's mouth before he knocked out a crossbow wielding drone. It had all be a distraction, she realized the moment she and Damon came across a bunch of compelled idiots beating the shit out of Jeremy Gilbert. Klaus _was_ there. And for all she knew he could have Elena by now.

She raced through the halls of the high school, in heels, searching every corridor for the girl. A turn _here_. Some double doors there. But she found the girl and the Bennett, slamming a set of doors behind them. The moment they saw her it was like they'd seen a mirage in the middle of a desert, face showing obvious relief.

"What happened?" She asked as she took in the two's rough breathing.

"Kla—Klaus is in _Alaric's_ body," Elena stammered out, giving her friend time to catch her breath.

"Oh, no." The blond muttered. She recalled possession _had_ been one of her brother's _favorite_ tricks. Why had she not thought about that?

"It's like he's possessing it or something." Bonnie added helpfully.

The blond looked to Elena. "Go find Damon, _now_," she ordered the girl, who was more than willing to oblige.

"You _can't_ kill him." Caroline sighed. She knew her brother all too well, "If you do, he'll just posses someone else."

"He knows about you." The Bennett informed her, taking in a deep, worried breath.

"Well then we're fucked." Caroline said in response. It seemed that everything was slipping through her fingers. "Jonas is dead."

Any ray of hope that had been behind the witch's eyes died with her last statement. _Nothing_ was going the way it was supposed to. A hand on her shoulder pulled her out of her stump. Caroline wore a serious expression as she stared back at her.

"_Listen._ Just because Jonas is dead, does not mean Klaus gets to win." She declared definitely, radiating a spirit that reminded her of Grams. It was obvious the only way out of this was to do something stupid. "After tonight, I need you to do something for me…

:}{}{}{}{:

He hears Bonnie before he sees her, running down the empty corridor toward him and Elena. He is almost _happy_ to see that she is okay, offering up a smile. It fell from his lips when he realized someone was missing.

He looked past her, hoping to see some glimpse of blond hair. "Where's Caroline?"

"_Hello…sister." His greeted the moment she stepped foot inside the cafeteria. His voice—it almost knocked the wind out of her. Surprising, as it was not his own. But the bitter edge to them was still there._

"_Nik," She said with as much kindness as she could muster. He stood up from his seat. She caught the glint of metal clutched in his hand. A dagger—with her name on it. That had been what he was after. It seemed she was number one on his hit-list._

"_What took you so long?"_

"It was the _only_ way," Bonnie said, trying to make sense of it all. She had promised the blond that she would take care of killing Klaus. It had been the only option.

"Wha—what did you do?" the Salvatore readied his accusations. An uneasy feeling overpowered his sense of reason.

"_Nothing_," She said in defense. He took a menacing step toward the witch.

"What are you doing?" Jeremy's voice echoed down the hall as he trotted to them.

"Where is she?" Damon asked again. He reasoned with his anger—it was because she was an important asset to killing the hybrid. But, somehow he knew that something just wasn't right. Not when she wasn't there, within arm's reach.

_She pushed away from him, clawing at the side of his face as his fingers yanked at her blond locks. This was the way it had to be. She couldn't kill Alaric—she couldn't take the life of Damon's friend. The way her brother's mind worked was simple. If she killed the man, he'd simply possess another body. No, there had to be another way to kill him. One it seemed she wouldn't be around for._

_Caroline crawled away from the man; blood, from where he'd rammed her head into a table, trailing down the length of her face. Black boots appeared by her head and Alaric leaned over her, pressing his knees into her side. He had come with a vervain dart, stabbing in her side after she'd launched herself at him. The familiar burn of the toxin dulled the ache in her chest as he ran a hand through her blood matted hair._

"_I wish things could have been different, Care," He whispered as he raised the dagger over her._

_5…4…3..."Go, to hell Nik."…_

He pushed through a set of double doors_…2…_racing to her rescue, it seemed_…_1…A sudden sharp pull in his chest broke him from his run, almost sending him off his feet in surprise. He brought a hand to his chest. It strangely felt like someone had staked him. His eyes fluttered close as a wave of images flooded him mind in succession.

In them…_Caroline_. In the first it seemed—he was watching her behind, and then she was turning at some distant sound that was of no importance to him, eyes finding his as a gentle smile graced her nextwasof her pulling him out onto the dance floor, then of them slowly dancing, pressed forehead to forehead, a knowing smile on his face as a soft jazz tune filled the room of a speakeasy_._ The last was of her. She lay in bed, staring at him the way only a_ lover_ would. She reached a hand out, fingers running over his cheek. A sweet caress, and then—_darkness_.

"Damon!" Elena exclaimed, running toward the man kneeling in the middle of the empty corridor. She helped him to his feet, the voices of Jeremy and Bonnie echoing down the hall as they appeared too.

He could not understand…why was he having flashbacks of him and Caroline? Had he met her before? If so, why hadn't she said anything? Another thought occurred to him. He'd been compelled to _forget_ her. _And when an Original dies all previous compulsion is void_, he remembered.

"She's dead," He heard him saying, thinking out loud. "Klaus has her."

Elena sent Jeremy a surprised look, possibly wondering how on earth he knew that.

"You knew she was going to do this?" Damon snapped, turning his narrowed gaze to the Bennett witch. "Didn't you?"

Her expression softened. "It was the only way, Damon. Klaus wasn't going to stop until she was out of the way."

Damon cast his eyes to the floor, willing her to be wrong. But he'd felt it. The sudden shift within him—any inclination that she was _okay_ lost on him.

"What do we do now?" Elena spoke up, hoping to change the subject from the dead, Original sister, and onto something more productive. She moved, ushering them out of the hallway and out of the school. The witch stopped in her tracks, the trio turning their attention to her as she spoke up.

"I _promised_ Caroline…that I would follow through with her plan." She said truthfully and unwaveringly. She had to honor that promise. The woman had basically given up her life to make sure that no one died unnecessarily in her brother's pursuit to kill her. "Guys, it's the only one we have left."

"I'm with _Glenda_," Damon bit out as their car pulled up at the end of the sidewalk, Stefan behind the wheel. "But if we're going to do this, there is something you should know…"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Thanks for reading. Please leave a review. They make me smile.<strong>_


	6. Chapter 6

**Title:** the other Mikaelson girl

**Pairing:** Caroline/Damon: Damon/Elena/Stefan: Damon/Katherine

**Rating:** M

**Warnings:** Language, Violence, and Sexual Situations

**Alternate History:** Caroline the eldest daughter of the Original family has been on the run from Niklaus since the daggering of Rebekah. But when she receives an interesting call with the promise of finally ending the Hybrid she finds herself in Mystic Falls, faced with a man from her past that she hasn't been able to forget.

**Important Note:** This chapter is set in "Klaus" and "The Last Day". Sorry if this chapter seems at all contrived.

* * *

><p>Her eyes<p>

She's on the dark side

Neutralize

Every man in sight

_**Angel**__, Massive Attack_

* * *

><p><strong>VI<strong>

"What do you mean you know her?" Stefan spoke up, the room having gone deathly silent after his brother made his revelation known.

"I mean," the older Salvatore began, sending his brother a hard stare, "that I _know_ her. I've been _remembering_ things I never knew I'd forgotten."

"Wait," Elena interjected, face pale at the notion that the man had a history with the Original sister. "When you say forgotten, you mean…"

"_Compulsion_." Damon clarified. Behind his eyes there was an unfamiliar sheen of a man who was confused out of his mind. She would be too—if she was suddenly being bombarded with memories of someone she hardly knew. She sympathized with the man.

"What are you remembering?" his brother inquired, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I remember—" Damon paused…a part of him wanted to keep the memories to himself. The fact that he'd obviously had an _intimate_ relationship with the girl would not bode well with Stefan, who was adamant on finding any reason to make it any clearer that he would _never_ have a chance with Elena. But, another part of him was so painfully confused. Why had the blond compelled him to forget they'd been together and why had she not mentioned it when they reunited? Had he been too difficult to be with?

"Damon," Stefan called him from his rambling thoughts. "What do you remember?"

"I remember the smell of honeysuckle…and vanilla," he began, mind already drifting back to the latest memory to return to him, "and jazz music. And bourbon…she liked bourbon."

"_Wow_," Elena and Bonnie breathed at him romanticized words.

Silence. It was the warlock this time to speak first.

"What do we do now?" Luka asked a tremor in his voice as he addressed the room. He hadn't even had time to grieve for the loss of his father. No idea how Klaus could have gotten to him, killed him and still managed to make it to the school in time for Caroline. "How do we kill Klaus?"

"Caroline had a plan," Bonnie sighed, casting her eyes down in memory of the girl who'd sacrificed herself to keep them alive; spared everyone the loss of killing Ric. "I think it's time we honored it."

Under any normal circumstance she'd _refuse_ putting the life of a human in danger, but—this was for _Elena_, her best friend. If she could save the girl, she was willing to do whatever needed to be done.

:}{}{}{}{:

He stared down at the grayed corpse, lips set in a thin line as he watched her remove the dagger meant to keep the man obsolete. It was a rare thing…to go from one opinion to another. He had thought reviving Elijah would be the _dumbest_ thing they could do. Now he saw it as the only option at the moment that _didn't_ end with one of the dead.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Damon?" the Gilbert asked quietly from where she sat on the cold, cement basement floor.

The man stared down at her. She was still beautiful, still gentle and loving in nature. But for some reason…when he looked at her now, the pull that had been there, urging him to take her right from under his brother was no longer there. He still cared about her. In a sense, even loved her. But it wasn't the overwhelming kind of love that had consumed him the moment he laid eyes on her; Had burned him to the touch, with bitter words and memories of his failed romance with Katherine.

"I think it might be better if I _wasn't_ here when he wakes up," Damon declared, opting out of answering her question with a definite answer. Truthfully, he didn't know how well it would do. Hell, they'd daggered him. That _must_ have been an act of dishonor or something to the man.

He turned, exiting the small cell. He heard her calling after him…with that voice that had been able to cut him in two, make him _want_ to just break down and go along with her…but he ignored it. He couldn't be around when Elijah woke up. The man would be ready to kill him. He only hoped that Elena would be able to get him on their side using _that_ voice.

:}{}{}{}{:

He didn't know _why_ but some force within him…was pushing him to do this. To come storming the castle looking for the damsel in distress, a title he usually reserved for Elena—and at another time in his life, Katherine. It was _stupid_ and he was being an idiot just showing up at Ric's apartment when he _knew_ Klaus was possessing him.

"_I don't think that this is a good idea,"_ Andie whispered as they made their way up the stairs of the apartment complex.

"You're an investigative journalist," Damon said to the woman. Admittedly the only reason he brought her was because he was pretty sure he would not be able to enter the space. "We're investigating."

They came to a stop, before a door with a number 9 that identified it as Alaric's place.

"Hi Alaric, you home?" the woman inquired, knocking on the door with the prompting of the Salvatore. "It's Andie…_Star_. Jenna's friend."

She offered up a shrug at the lack of reply. No—he wouldn't give up now. Damon looked behind him, making sure the hall was clear before setting his sights on the door knob. With a few sharp turns of the handle and a _click_, the door creaked open. Andie sent him a hesitant grin, pushing the door open.

"Thank god."

_Katherine_. She stood at the entrance. So Klaus _hadn't_ killed her. He couldn't deny that a tiny part of him was glad she was alive. She had meant something to him in the past, for over a hundred years he'd loved her. But with all the memories coming back of Caroline, he was beginning to wonder if he'd already moved on from the girl and simply forgotten.

"_Wow,_" Andie breathed as she stepped inside the residence. "You were right. She looks _exactly _like Elena."

Katherine craned her head as the unfamiliar woman observed her.

"Yep." Damon muttered, an invisible barrier keeping him from entering. "Thought you might be dead."

The brunette stared at him for a moment. Relief was evident on her face at the sight of him. "Unfortunately, _not_."

"We are here to rescue you." Andie informed her with a wide smile, moving past the vampires to look around.

"No sweetie. We are here to see if she _deserves _to be rescued." The Salvatore reaffirmed, studying Katherine's amused expression.

"Right." The newswoman nodded in remembrance. He had said something along those lines.

"I figured you still might be kicking." Damon admitted, regaining her attention as Andie wandered off further into the room. "Alaric-Klaus was blending _way_ to easily. Figured he had probably had some…coaching."

He waved the small vile of clear liquid for her to see.

"Is tha—"

He curled his fingers around it, speaking up, "Vervain. _Salvation._"

"It's not going to undo anything." She sighed as she stared back at him with those dark eyes.

At a time in his life they had held such promise. Of love…adventure. Now all he wanted was for them to turn, shift into the deep blue that could drown him like the tides of some unwavering storm.

"There's always a loophole." The Salvatore stated. It was true. Compulsion had its limitations. Even he _knew_ that. "Did he tell you to stay in this apartment until he said it was okay to leave?"

She opened her mouth him reply, but closed it when she discovered no words would form.

"You can't say," Damon noted as her expression fell. "Did he tell you to do absolutely _everything_ he says to the end of time?"

"No," Katherine drew out before realization dawned on her with the man's next statement.

"There's your loophole. Drink this and it will prevent any further compulsion."

She took a few calculating steps toward him, reaching out for the vial. He pulled it out of her reach before she could lay a finger on it.

"Give it to me!" She exclaimed with an annoyed expression.

"Answer one question first." Damon said, twirling her only form of hope in his fingers. She looked to him expectantly, waiting for whatever he had to ask. "You know Klaus. You've managed to evade him for years…"

"I'm not hearing a question." Katherine retorted. His eyes fell for a moment before returning to her with a new vigor behind them.

"What would he do with a daggered original?"

Her brows shot up in surprise. As far as she knew the _only_ Original in Mystic Falls other than Klaus was his brother Elijah. And he had already been dealt with. She craned her head in thought.

She recalled the bond that Elijah and Niklaus shared. The unbridled love that flowed between them and their sisters. They had been a small family unit. A dynamic that at the time she wished to be a part of. Klaus, in his heart, loved his family. She realized that, and it was one of the reasons she'd been so drawn to him. He cared. He had power and was the ultimate authority. But underneath all of that he had an undeniable fear of being alone. Of _that_ she was sure of.

"He'd keep 'em close." Katherine said after a moment of thought.

"Why?" the Salvatore asked, unsure if he believed her.

She rolled her eyes. "Say what you _want_ about the man, but he loved his family. It was the _one_ redeeming quality about him."

There was a thoughtful look on his face as he tossed her the vial. "_Here_. You owe me. And I _will_ collect."

:}{}{}{}{:

Klaus had gone after Jenna. Jenna—who was _innocent_ and uninformed about vampires and crazed Originals. She was not _ready_ to hear the truth from Elena. And even less prepared for the guttural fact that her boyfriend was being possessed by a vampire keen on killing the Gilbert girl. He was surprised Stefan had been able to keep the man from running a knife though her stomach…and even more so that she had yet to fully breakdown. All in all she was taking the newfound knowledge in stride.

But none of that mattered at the moment, he thought as he sat with a pensive expression on his face. What Katherine had said struck a chord within him. If she was right that meant Klaus was keeping Caroline's body somewhere. Obviously not in Ric's apartment, but somewhere he felt comfortable enough to hide a dead body. And in Mystic Falls that cut the list down to very few locations.

He absentmindedly thanked Andie as she placed a glass of bourbon in his hand. He downed it, letting its contents wash over him.

"What can I do, Damon?" She asked, kneeling down before him and placing a comforting hand over his. His eyes swept over her pleading face. She truly wished to help him. Very few people did.

He sighed, setting the glass down on the edge of the coffee table. He needed a plan he realized, _if_ he wanted to save Caroline. And he did. The prospect of leaving her in the hands of her psychotic brother was enough to make his heart ache. But—she had _left_ him. Compelled him to forget her. Why would she have done that if she had not wished to be rid of him?

Damon returned his attention to the woman kneeling before him. "Just…_go home_ Andie."

He closed his eyes as he felt the warmth of her hand leave him. A sudden coldness creeping over him as she left the room.

Everything was falling apart. Jonas was dead. Bonnie was on a mission to kill Klaus. And Caroline was _gone_. Nothing was as it was supposed to be.

"Damon." He turned his head toward the secondary entrance to the room as Elena appeared, Elijah following at her heels.

He stood to his feet.

"Elijah and I have renewed the terms of our deal." She informed him. Damon looked to the Original who wore an expressionless countenance. It didn't appear as if he was going to kill him.

"Really?" He asked, though that had been what he'd been hoping for.

"You…and your brother will come to no harm at my hands." Elijah informed him. There was a sudden sadness in his voice as he continued. "I only wish my sister had not been so foolish as to _confront_ Niklaus on her own."

The Salvatore's recalled the empty feeling he had when he'd made it to the cafeteria of the school only to find that she was gone. Now all he had was the promise of killing the man. It wasn't as if he would be able to find her in time for the ritual…

:}{}{}{}{:

"_Hey, Andie," He spoke into the cellular as he closed the door to his room behind him._

"_Damon!" She greeted brightly. Unsure if he'd gotten over whatever it was that had upset him. "Do you want me to come back?"_

_The man rolled his eyes. He had thought long and hard about it. If he wanted to find someone that Klaus was hiding he had to get creative. He had to be sneaky. And he had to be smart about it. The only person he knew that could be all of these things was the reporter. "Not tonight, Sweetie. I need you to do something for me…"_

"_Of course," Andie said, eager to please him. As he'd programmed her to be. "Anything."_

"_How good are you at sticking your pretty nose where it doesn't belong?" Damon inquired as ideas ran through his head of where Caroline could be._

"_Oh, I'm excellent."_

* * *

><p>He lay in bed, his eyes cast to the ceiling. He had found himself unable to sleep that night. Memories coming back to him with a paralyzing frequency. There were intimate touches…the soft taste of her lips…the heady scent of the ambrosia of life…and the feeling of love… The most <em>important<em> one, the day Caroline compelled him to forget her, returned, too. He had thought it was a dream at first, but the more it replayed through his mind the more he was positive it had been a memory.

_**Chicago 1922**_

His eyes fluttered open at the sound of running water. He turned his head, finding his bedmate gone from her side of the bed. Damon slowly sat up, climbing out of bed. The cool breeze flew through the open window of the bedroom. It washed over his naked frame. He suppressed a shiver, making his way toward the source of the noise that awoke him.

The sweet aroma of chocolate filled the hall. Damon paused at the entrance of the small kitchen. There she stood, at the sink; her back to him…offering him the perfect view of her ass. She had put on one of his crisp, white shirts. It was almost animalistic the way he watched her as she cleaned out the bowl of the excess chocolate she had been using. The way she shirt rode up with every movement of her arms—

"You do know it's _incredibly_ rude to stare, Damon." She spoke up, cutting off his ever wandering thoughts. She cut the facet off, turning slowly to face him. Her eyes danced over his bare body in praise. She watched as he took a step forward—a familiar glint in his eyes.

"Maybe I like what I see." He said in a husky voice, closing the space between them until he had her pressed into the sink. Caroline's lips curved into a grin and she brought a hand to his face, cupping his cheek gentle.

"Morning. I'm baking a pie," She whispered softly, fingers gliding down the smooth expanse of his cheek, past his neck until she reached his chest.

"_Morning_," He sighed, allowing her to pull him in for a long, sweet kiss.

There was that flavor of vanilla and…_sunshine. _He savored it.

The way she felt against him, fitting perfectly against him. It was all so…_right_. She was _right,_ for him. The Salvatore felt—for the first time in his existence—that _someone_ cared about him. _Loved_ him. She made him forget about everything else, everyone else. Even Katherine, whom at a point in his life he loved _completely_, couldn't compare to the way the blond made him feel.

It was like with her he wasn't Damon the vampire. With her he was Damon _the man_.

Plain and simple.

She pulled away slowly, pressing her forehead to his. He loved when she did that; when she looked into his eyes with her serene, blue orbs. He felt an overwhelming feeling…one that he couldn't quit explain.

"_I love you_," Damon spoke softly, raising a hand and pushing a strand of blond hair behind her ear. She was lovely in every way. Warm, loving, gentle—but there was another side to her. She was a _complex_ creature. The way her mind worked. The unique perspective she had. She fascinated him.

"I love you, too," Caroline murmured, leaning up to capture his lips for another searing kiss. He cupped her cheek, dipping his head down to meet her hungry pace. Her arms shot up, wrapping around his neck, pulling his body closer.

:}{}{}{}{:

The familiar sound of _ringing_ pulled him from the memory. He scooped it up from the bedside table, reading the name flashing across the screen. _Andie_. His heart skipped a beat and if felt as if it had fallen to the pit of his stomach. He his _answer_, bringing the device to his ear.

"What do you have for me?" Damon asked. She couldn't have found where Klaus was keeping the blond's body so quickly.

"Right now, I'm following some guy that left Ric's apartment this morning." She whispered. Oh, so she was playing detective. He recalled Elijah mentioning that the hybrid liked to travel with an entourage. Witches to be more specific. Maybe the man was a warlock working for Klaus. "It looks like he's heading over to the Lockwood estate."

"Why are you whispering?" He inquired. Another thing he wondered, why would he be going to see the Lockwoods? They weren't particularly friendly toward witches if his memory of their ancestors served him correctly.

"Oh, sorry," Andie said more clearly. If it wasn't for his compulsion she would _never_ be putting herself in harm's way. Never be helping him safe _another_ woman. "Wait, he's pulling up into the driveway. I'll call you back."

He heard the mocking sound indicating the end of the call. He moved, sitting at the edge of his bed as mix of voices filled his head. Elena, Stefan and Elijah were discussing the ritual. _Without him._ It always seemed that he was the odd man out.

As much as he wanted to save Elena he was growing tired of her playing martyr. But he understood her, he really did. She was so willing to give herself over to the devil just to protect the people that she cared about. If he had the chance he would do _anything_ to protect Caroline—who seemed to filling his every thought. It was all consuming the way he felt about her. Like a dam had been built up in his around his heart and the moment she died…and the compulsion wore off…a flood of emotions he had never experienced before with such force overwhelmed him. It took his breath away. And know all he could think about was getting her back.

:}{}{}{}{:

"Breakfast of champions, huh," Stefan's voice cut through the morning silence. The older Salvatore gulped down half his glass of bourbon before responding, scowl set across his face,

"I'm surrounded by idiots. I need all the help I can get." No one had brought up the subject of searching for Klaus may have hidden the blond. Not even Elijah who seemed firm in his stance on killing their brother. The only solace he found was in the fact that Bonnie was adamant in keeping her promise to the girl that she'd follow through with her plan.

"You know you're not helping." Stefan sighed.

"Sorry if I'm still a bit _broody_, Stefan," Damon said without a hint of remorse in his voice. "It must be an effect from the _compulsion_ I realized I was under."

"What do you want me to say, Damon?" his brother exclaimed, turning until their eyes were locked in a heated stare. "_Sorry some girl compelled you to forget you two ever met?_"

Damon's expression fell. He found the words he wanted to say almost too hard to voice. Like if he said them he would somehow be unable to deny the fact that he'd gotten over Katherine a long time ago. And that the girl he'd been trying so hard to keep alive, Elena—had not been the woman he was meant to be with. But he did find the strength. And so he said them.

"We were in love."

"Wha—what?" His brother was in disbelief. Never had he heard such pain in Damon's voice. It was a side to him he hadn't seen in a _long_ time.

"I remember…being _in love_ with her." Damon breathed out, staring at Stefan with a strange look in his eyes. "I remember _waking up in the morning_ and being _disappointed_ that she wasn't lying next to me."

Stefan's eyes softened at his admittance. If there was something he knew about his brother, it was that when he loved someone he put his whole heart into it. Somehow, Caroline had gotten past all the barriers Damon had put up after he'd thought Katherine had been trapped within the tomb.

"_Damon…_" Stefan began in a gentler tone.

"Oh, god I'm not drunk enough for any brotherly _bonding_ right now." The Salvatore groaned, taking another gulp of bourbon before turning to leave. He spilled the remaining contents out onto the back porch before heading inside. As far away from Stefan as he could get.

:}{}{}{}{:

He had finally met the _infamous_ Klaus, in the flesh.

And again, he was unimpressed. But the threat of what the coming night was enough to keep him for doing something in that moment that would cause his imminent death. It was not, however, enough to keep him from going after the werewolf he'd reserved for the ritual. _Tyler Lockwood_.

He was beginning to understand now why one of the man's witches had paid a visit to the estate. But he was also worried. It had been hours since Andie had called and he was starting to suspect something had happened to her.

He'd pushed the thought aside long enough to get the information he needed out of Katherine. She did not wish to be sacrificial lamb sent to slaughter. That was why he now found himself trekking through the woods, headed toward the tomb.

"Did you really think Klaus would leave the wolf unprotected?" a voice called out. He turned, catching sight of a man wearing a black coat. The warlock that had visited the Lockwoods, he presumed. But then, where was Andie? Hadn't she been following him?

"Wishful thinking," He shrugged thoughtfully before running toward him. Laying the warlock out on his back, hands wrapped firmly around his neck. Choking the life out of him.

The man's hand shot up and an unknown force pushed the Salvatore away. His back collided into the stone structure and he fell to his stomach.

Unbearable pain ran through his body as the warlock suddenly stood over him; using the forces of nature to slowly, _painfully_ kill him.

A gunshot rang out through the quiet wood as the man fell to his knees, a spot of red suddenly forming in the center of his chest. Damon stared up at him in surprise before getting to his feet, breaking his neck with a few swift movements.

His eyes found the face of his savior. _Alaric_. He thought the man had went back to comfort Jenna. Apparently _not_.

"What are you doing here?" Damon inquired as the man approached, shouldering his rifle.

"Saving your ass." Ric stated firmly before a grin broke out across his face.

They made their way down to tomb, the Salvatore using his vampiric strength the push the door open.

"Damon?" Tyler's voice piped up in surprise as he entered the tomb, Ric trailing behind him. "Mr. Saltzman?"

"Don't worry Tyler," Alaric said smoothly as Damon stood before the boy. "We're here to _save_ you. _Right_, Damon?"

The Salvatore stared down at the boy for a moment. "It's getting dark soon. How fast can you get the hell away from here?"

"I need to get to my families cellar." Tyler informed him. Face devoid of fear as he stared back at the vampire. It appeared the Salvatore was losing his touch. "I can lock myself up."

Damon took a step forward, crouching down before him as a serious expression flashed across his face. "Don't make me regret this." And with that he broke the boy free of his chains.

:}{}{}{}{:

She had been following the man all day. She'd been there when he'd escaped the Lockwood manor before an ambulance arrived to take Carol to the hospital. She'd been watching when he snuck up on Tyler and used some kind of voodoo _magic_ to knock him out. And she'd been_ listening_ when he'd called someone who worked at a warehouse just outside of town, ordering him to have… _the coffins_….readied for when they left town. It was the first lead she'd had all day. And she had to follow it. For Damon.

The poor man was a _wreck_. She heard it in his voice last night. The way he begged her to go home. It was so _unlike_ him. Usually he wanted her around so that he could vent his feelings to someone. But since the original sister, whom she know remembered thanks to the worn off compulsion, was neutralized he'd changed.

He was different somehow. And he _needed_ her; now more than ever, to come through for him.

Andie had managed to locate the _only_ warehouse on the outskirts of town. She climbed out of her car, creeping up the side of the building as silently as she could manage. She peeked around the corner. _Nothing_. No one was there. Where were the guards? She wondered aloud as she made her way to the entrance. She pulled open the door with ease, sliding inside.

It was quiet. Her eyes caught a bright light—she moved toward it hesitantly until she realized it was coming from another room lined with a long window allowing anyone to see inside. She peered in, noting now that the guards that were _supposed _to be watching the perimeter were entertaining themselves with a game of cards. She internally rolled her eyes as she pressed on.

_How was he supposed to find one person among all the crates the warehouse held?_

Andie looked around her, stopping every so often to observe the marked labels of a wooden box. She paused, noting that most of the crates were big enough to hold a body. How the hell was she supposed to find the right one?

"What are we doing with this one?" A voice inquired, alerting her to a guard heading her way. She moved quickly, ducking behind a stack of crates. Her eyes followed him as he passed her hiding spot.

"The man said put it in the crate." Another voice said. There was a hint of static—it was someone on the other end of a walkie-talkie.

She noted that the guard was pushing something…_a coffin on wheels?_ Since when did warehouses hold dead bodies for people? And was _the man_ they'd mentioned the same one she'd been tailing all day?

"Oh, _shit_," the guard exclaimed, stopping in his tracks.

"What is it?" the man on the other end inquired quickly. Andie froze; wondering if he had seen her somehow.

"Jeff, I forgot my crowbar," the guard sighed. "Can you bring it down here?"

The other man, _Jeff_ apparently, snorted. "Not even if you _paid_ me."

"You're really going to make me walk all the way back?" He asked darkly. At Jeff's sudden silence he groaned, disappearing in the direction he'd just come from. Leaving the coffin _behind_.

Andie moved away from her hiding spot, making sure the area was clear before taking a step forward. She had to be some kind of lucky…because this was ridiculously _convenient_, _coincidental_—however anyone else might see it.

She reached an arm out, hand going to its lid. She really hoped it was the Original girl, or else she was going to need _years_ of therapy. A shiver crept down her spine and her fingers tingled as she lifted the top and caught a glimpse of hair.

_Blond hair_! It was her. And she looked _beautiful_ even with the sunken in features and grayed skin. She'd arrived just in time, she thought. She couldn't believe she _actually _found the girl.

Andie's eyes fell to the dagger that impaled her heart, hand hesitantly wrapping around it and pulling. Damon would be so _proud_ of her. Albeit surprised that she'd succeeding in saving the damsel in distress all on her own.

"Well, that was relatively _easy_." She muttered to herself, looking down at the weapon in her hand. Her eyes flickered to the blond and she leaned forward. She'd been the one to dagger Elijah. Damon's orders. Luck seemed to be on their side that night because not long after Stefan had called them warning them to keep the dagger firmly in place of his heart. They hadn't taken it out yet.

She wondered how long it would take for the vampire to be revived.

"Step away from the coffin," A familiar voice ordered. The guard had returned. She froze, having been caught. Andie turned around slowly, eyes growing in size as she caught sight of the gun pointed at her. _Since when did security guards have guns?_

"I'm just here to save someone," she said, it being the first thing that came to her mind. "It will only take a minute…I think."

"I'm going to ask you to step away from the coffin _one_ more time," He said, voice growing more aggravated.

"I swear, if you just give me a minute—" The relative _bang_ was enough to end her speech.

"_If anyone goes near this coffin, kill 'em."_

Andie's eyes flew open in shock, hand moving to where the bullet had hit. He'd shot her. He'd _actually_ shot her, she realized a second later as a stingy pain overwhelmed her. She fell to her knees, eyes drifting down to the red stain forming on her side. It was like all the energy within her was _gone_ and she was drifting away along with it. She fell to her back, hands clutching her side. Her eyes cast to the ceiling. She's was going to die there, she realized as the bright light of a bulb hanging overhead blinded her.

:}{}{}{}{:

He'd been bitten, by fucking Tyler Lockwood _of all_ people. He hadn't realized that until after the fact. Suddenly remembering his dear friend Rose and what happened to her after she'd received a _love _bite from Jules. Ric had run off, trying to draw it away from him. And worse, Klaus had come and gone, taking Elena with him. When his brother had called to tell him he could almost hear the devastation in his voice. He'd saved Tyler—who'd basically bite him in the ass _and_ killed the man's warlock. The Original had made it clear that no matter what he did the ritual would be happening tonight, also revealing that he _always_ had a back up before snapping his neck.

:}{}{}{}{:

_**Chicago 1922**_

"What's wrong?" He asked, studying her worried expression as she returned to their usual table. Their night out had been interrupted by a man who'd appeared at their table, telling them that there was a man named Elijah on the phone wishing to speak to her.

Damon could not deny the twinge of jealousy that he felt when she did not tell him who he was. Or why he was calling her…

He grew silent as she slid into her seat, eyes staring out into space. She hadn't heard him. Now _he_ was worried.

"Caroline," Damon tried again, reaching a hand out and placing it over her shaking one. "What's wrong?"

She finally turned to look at him. There was an unfamiliar darkness in those blue orbs. Not of evil…but of fear. What could the man have said to frighten her so much?

She was an original. One of the oldest living vampires on the planet. She was the _strongest_ vampire he'd ever met. What did she have to be afraid of?

"I—I need to leave," She stammered, lips set in a frown.

He nodded in understanding. "Okay, I'll get our coats and we can go back to the apartment."

The blond shook her head. He had _never_ seen her look so upset. "No, Damon. I mean…I need to _leave_."

When she saw that he didn't quite understand what she was saying she sighed. "I have to leave…and you _can't_ come with me."

Confusion flashed across his face before it hardened into lines of seriousness. "Who was that on the phone? What did they say?"

She had been perfectly fine up until that phone call. She had been _happy_. They'd been having a wonderful evening, as per usual whenever they were together. He could not believe the sudden shift in her mood.

"It doesn't matter, Damon." She whispered as she leaned forward, catching his eye. "All the matters is that I _love you_. And because I love you…I can't risk knowing you weren't safe. So, I need to leave. And you…" Caroline felt a silent tear trail down her cheek as she chocked back a sob.

This was possibly the _hardest_ thing she ever had to do. Tell the man she _loved_ to forget her. But that was what love was about. Making sacrifices, protecting one another.

"…you need to forget me." She whispered, staring into his icy, blue eyes. "Forget _everything_ about our relationship. You came to Chicago to bug your brother, and had fun…drank _a lot_ of bourbon, met _amazing _people…ate a few of them. And never met me...never _fell in love_."

He nodded roboticly at her words. Caroline wiped away another tear. This was the end. She couldn't run with Klaus and Rebekah and bring the man she loved into all of her family drama. She refused to let him be a pawn in the never ending game of chess between Nik and their father.

Caroline leaned forward, stealing one _last_ kiss. And then she'd be out of his life.

"I love you Damon. I _promise_ we _will_ be together again.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Thanks for reading. Please leave a review.<strong>_

**Author's Note: **I know many of you might be thinking it was _convenient_ that Andie found Caroline _right_ when she was about to be crated up with the other Originals, but I did this on _purpose. _I did not see any other way when I was writing it out, especially when I already knew how I wanted the next few chapters to play out. Having _all_ the originals back, I felt, would have made it more difficult for me to write what I want to write. Anyway, thanks again for reading and I hope you enjoyed it.


	7. Chapter 7

**Title:** the other Mikaelson girl

**Pairing:** Caroline/Damon: Damon/Elena/Stefan: Damon/Katherine

**Rating:** M

**Warnings:** Language, Violence, and Sexual Situations

**Alternate History:** Caroline the eldest daughter of the Original family has been on the run from Niklaus since the daggering of Rebekah. But when she receives an interesting call with the promise of finally ending the Hybrid she finds herself in Mystic Falls, faced with a man from her past that she hasn't been able to forget.

**Important Note:** This chapter is set in "The Sun Also Rises". The next chapter will be the final chapter of this series. But I will be doing a **_sequel_**. In a review please leave a suggestion of what the _**sequel **_should be called.

* * *

><p>Her eyes<p>

She's on the dark side

Neutralize

Every man in sight

_**Angel**__, Massive Attack_

* * *

><p><strong>VII<strong>

Her eyes fluttered open, slowly—the familiar rustic savor of blood on her tongue. She took in a sharp breath, pain shooting to her side suddenly as she pushed herself up on shaky arms. A sensation of warmth had ward off the lull of cold death. She had been near death. The man had shot her. Realization…she had been _shot_. A hand flew to where the crimson stain mare her blouse, fingers ghosting over the unblemished skin of her side.

"You're welcome." A voice spoke up, from behind her. A _familiar_ voice.

Andie craned her head to look behind her. It was the Original. The one Damon had been so desperate to save. The blond stood by the coffin that had served as her temporary entombment, wiping away the blood that tarnished her porcelain white skin with a small rag. The reporter's eyes trailed down Caroline's form to the corpse that lay at her feet. It was the security guard, his heart having been ripped from his chest.

"H—how did you—" Andie stammered. She had been on the precipice of death. She'd seen the _bright_ light that would only lead her to the afterlife. And now…she was more than confused. She was frightened, unsure of how she was still kicking.

"Vampire blood can be a girl's best friend." The blond said, offering a smile before tossing the discolored piece of cloth behind her. "Do me a favor and try not die for _at least_ twenty-four hours."

The woman nodded slowly, getting to her feet. She maintained the distance between them, fear of the vampiress overriding the sudden urge she had to hug the girl for coming to her rescue. Hell, the blond _was_ an Original vampire after all, one that had a brother that might not be too pleased to find out about what had just occurred, and the hand she played in it. If she were smarter she wouldn't have involved herself in Damon's problems. But she cared about the man. She saw how Caroline's capture affected him…more than he'd like to admit to anyone. She had to do something.

"_Thank you_." Caroline offered as an afterthought before disappearing, leaving Andie standing in the middle of a now empty warehouse—with a dead body and empty casket.

:}{}{}{}{:

_They buried his body under the white oak tree. It stood tall, and strong—as he had been at such a young age. Her baby brother, Henrik dressed in a white tunic that made his youthful face appear more than angelic…Caroline stared down into his face. His eyes were closed; never would they open again. Never would she seem them light up with excitement whenever their brothers dueled for their entertainment. Never again, would they shed a tear at the sight of their father __**beating**__ Niklaus…and never would they smile up at her as he sat at her side, helping her and Rebekah prepare morning meal._

_His lips had lost their pink color—now a deathly blue. Lips that would never experience the kiss of one in love. Never touch the forehead of his first born child._

_Caroline felt the familiar warmth of Elijah's arms encompassing her as he pulled her away from Henrik's grave gently; watching as Mikael and Finn shoveled dirt over his corpse. Closing him off from memory. Blue orbs moved from face to face—her family mourning the loss of their own. Her mother stood wearing the expression of a grieving mother, Bekah close at her side. Niklaus stood off, on his own at it seemed he would always be. A dry trail of tears were the only indication that he blamed himself for the untimely death of Henrik._

_Kol hovered near their father and Finn, face somber. He had not spoken a word since…the blond closed her eyes in prayer. Hoping that this would nay be the last she saw of her beloved brother._

_They would be united again. In__** death**__._

:}{}{}{}{:

**England 1491**

She watched as Elijah moved about the room, entertaining the myriad of guests in attendance for Rebekah's birthday celebration. Niklaus of course was _not_ in attendance. He had left on a _hunting_ trip, as he liked to refer to them, that very afternoon, and had failed to return as of yet. Her sister had been disappointed to learn of the man's unannounced departure. The blond's eyes danced around the room, finding Bekah—dressed in a deep, plum colored gown that was exquisitely beautiful, golden linen lining its hem. She looked breathtaking with long tresses of hair falling down her back in a wave of gold.

The young girl was surrounded by the noblemen of their territory, all of whom wished to court the beauty. She was the life of the party, Caroline noted, moving amongst the throng of guests until she reached the closest exit. It was all _too_ much.

The men of this century…they did not seek love, or an equal companion. No, what they sought was power…control over her. Like Mikael had done her mother. Treated her with such dejection and mistrust as the years passed. She never knew why he could _not_ simply be happy—live the life of a man who had _everything_ he could ever ask for.

"There you are sister." An all too familiar voice called, pulling her from her thoughts. Kol. His arrival could only mean that Nik had finally returned from his hunting. "Where are you off to?"

Caroline turned to greet her baby brother, plastering a gentle smile on her face. "Nowhere, Kol. I was simply going to see if Niklaus had arrived yet. Bekah has been impatiently waiting upon his arrival."

The boy nodded in understanding. Just as she had a _unique_ bond with Elijah, her sister shared the same with Niklaus, of whom she viewed as her protector. And over the years he had been that…to all of them. Shielding them from Mikael, who desperately sought to end him.

Kol placed a hand on her arm, pulling her gently from any form of escape and leading her back into the mass of partygoers. A few familiar faces greeting her with pleasantries. Men who had tried countless a time to woo her…none of which held her affections. They were all the _same_. Seeking her title, and _not_ her heart. Of which she was none too eager to give away.

Was it selfish of her to want _more_? To crave the touch of love. To look upon a man's face and know he was _everything_ she could _ever_ dream of. To know that she could spend all of eternity with him and never grow tired of his company. An _equal_. One to walk the world with. _Forever_.

:}{}{}{}{:

Katherine had betrayed them. Betrayed him—just to save her ass. In her place for the ritual, she'd given up Jenna to the psychotic vampire Klaus. He'd left Ric's apartment, leaving no indication that he wished to part on good terms with the woman who had single handedly ruined their lives. Truly, if it was _not _for her Elena would not be endanger, Jenna would not be a vampire, Tyler would not have killed that innocent girl and have to suffer through the curse of being a werewolf, and he would not have been bitten. Doomed to die in the most horrible way imaginable. And worst of all, something had happened to Andie. She had yet to call him back…reply to any of the voluminous messages he'd left on her cell. He was actually growing worried that she was dead. And that would be on him, for bringing her into his situation. For asking her to stick her nose in Original business.

:}{}{}{}{:

"_I'll do it," Jeremy spoke up, cutting through the silence._

_The spell called for a human life. That couldn't be John…he had already been spelled. A back-up in case Elijah's elixir did not work and the ritual took a turn for the worse. They had to do whatever it took to keep Elena alive. But to risk the life of her own brother…_

"_Jeremy," Bonnie began, lips forming a thin line as she looked around the room at the faces watching their exchange. Stefan was silent. He wanted to save the girl he loved, and it was apparent he was willing to do whatever was necessary. Elijah made it a point not to interfere in their affairs. He had a duty to himself. Kill Niklaus—and that did not reconcile with him that someone had to endanger themselves to do it._

_John had yet to return from the Gilbert residence. He'd gone to get a few things for Elena when they got her back. He was keen on the idea that they would. And Alaric…the frustration was evident on his face. Having to choose between the girl and Jeremy. Luka was the only one who appeared ready to vocalize some form of protest._

"_I need to do this," the young man stated matter-of-factly, taking a step toward her. He placed a hand on her cheek, gently stroking the soft skin with his thumb. She was the girl he loved, he had faith in her, "You will bring me back Bonnie…everything will be okay."_

:}{}{}{}{:

Jules was dead. Jenna—she watched on as Klaus ripped her aunt's heart from her chest. Her eyes followed his movements as he approached her, the flames licking at his feet as the barrier fell.

He extended an arm out to her, "It's time."

This was it. Her gaze flickered to where Stefan lay unconscious only a few yards away. She was going to die in this field, she thought, standing up on shaky feet. She swept past him, not bothering to spare him a glance as she made her way to the altar, joining a chanting Greta.

Klaus was at her side in an instant, fingers grasping her chin and guiding her face to look at him.

"_Thank you…Elena,_" he whispered gently as he stared down at her.

"Go to hell." The brunette responded dejectedly, with fire in her eyes.

Klaus wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her into him as he sunk his fangs into her unblemished neck. Draining her of her life force before letting her corpse fall to his feet as the last of the flames died down.

"Greta!" Luka exclaimed, appearing from the shadows. The witch turned at the sound of her name, eyes narrowing as they fell on her brother. "What are you doing?"

"Fulfilling my duties to Klaus," She informed him, turning to indicate the man whose face had changed to one of wonder. He could already feel the change, the raw power coursing through his body.

"He killed our father, Greta!" He snapped, approaching the girl cautiously.

"I can feel it." He heard Klaus announce somewhere off in the distance as he moved. "It's happening."

"No, Luka," Greta sighed, taking a step toward him; arm shooting out from her side as she pressed the cool steel against him. "I _did_."

Luka's wide orbs slowly drifted down his body to where the offending dagger pierced his chest. His eyes snapped up to her, taking in the dark expression of her face. She was enjoying this. Killing him, he realized as he sunk to his knees.

Greta returned her attention to the transitioning Hybrid, watching on in delight as his body began to shift. She was unprepared for what happened next. A set of hands grasped either side of her head, twisting sharply. Ending her life with a sickening _crack_.

A powerful force knocked Klaus onto his back. Elijah pressed his knees into the man's side, knocking the wind out of him. Suddenly, Damon was at his side, grabbing a hold of Klaus' arms and pulling them above his head so that he could not break free.

Elijah plunged his blood soaked hand into the hybrid's chest connecting him to the human.

"_Ocoros Mecante, Aleora Subsitos!"_

"Elijah," Klaus breathed as he stared up at his brother.

"Hello, brother." The man said in turn, pressing his fingers roughly into him. "In the name of our family, Niklaus…"

"_Ocoros Mecante, Aleora Subsitos!"_

"I didn't bury them at sea." Klaus got out, desperation evident in his tone. Elijah's hardened expression fell at his words. Damon's eyes flickered to Elijah, studying his movements carefully. It was clear that the hybrid was getting to the man.

"What?"

"Their bodies are safe…if you kill me you'll never find them."

"_Olo Santire, Dis Et Brav!"_

"Don't listen to him." The Salvatore spoke up harshly. There was _no way_ in hell he would believe the man for an instant.

"Elijah…I can take you to them…" Klaus lulled, voice filled with promise. "I give you my word, _brother_."

"Elijah," Damon began before the man craned his head to look at him. Knowing expression on his face.

"I'm sorry." Elijah said before pushing Damon from his brother, removing the hold he had over him and disappearing with the man in an instant.

"No!" The Salvatore growled out, his scream echoing throughout the field. Elijah had betrayed them, Jenna and Elena were dead, and he was nearly there._ Nothing_ had gone as they'd planned. Even the warlock hadn't made it out alive.

His gaze flew toward the alter where Elena lay, face devoid of any of its usual color. He watched on as Stefan crawled over to her body, pulling her into his arms as tears streamed down his face.

She was _dead_. They had failed—his head fell at the realization, closing his eyes at the loss. Elena was gone…he had failed her. A warm hand fell to his shoulder, a sudden sensation of calm washing over him. No, it couldn't be…the familiar touch almost overwhelming him in that moment. He lifted his head, slowly, almost hesitantly as if he did not want to see who it was.

Blue orbs widened at the sight. It was _her_. She'd appeared like a bright light in the middle of darkness.

"_Caroline_…" Damon breathed out in astonishment. The blond knelt beside him, hands moving to caress either cheek, fingers cool to the touch. It was as if he were staring into the face of a ghost. All the unfamiliar feelings that had been gathering inside of him since her compulsion had warned off. He reached a shaky arm out, hand inching closer to the smooth expanse of her face. Her brows scrunched together as he traced her lips with his finger.

"I'm here." She whispered gently at his look of distress. The doppelganger was dead. The girl that he had sacrificed _everything_ for had been murdered by her brother. There was a familiar glint in his eye—he was a man driven to the edge. He _needed_ her, she realized. Caroline wrapped her arms around his form, pulling him to his feet. "Come on, Damon. We need to go…"

The Salvatore allowed her to lead him away from the scene, riddled with death…Jules…Jenna and Luka…even Greta had not made it. They'd all perished in that field. His gaze drifted to where Stefan stood, the Gilbert cradled in his arms. Elena had been as unlucky. Her only _hope_ now being Elijah's elixir.

:}{}{}{}{:

John Gilbert had been more than surprised when Elena woke up from her eternal slumber and he _hadn't_ died. He was sure the spell that had linked him to his daughter would be what saved her. How could they trust that Elijah's mysterious elixir would have saved her…he closed his eyes at the sound of her voicing that she was _fine_.

He'd been ready to give up his life for her.

He stood outside, staring up, into the bright, _promising_ sun. He still had time. Time to be the father he'd _never_ been to the girl.

"John." He turned toward the entrance at the sound of his name. Elena leaned against the doorframe, eyes watching him carefully as she spoke. "Jeremy told me what you were going to do…"

The man was silent for a moment as he took her in. It was hard to deny that all the characteristics he had fallen in love with in her mother where within her as well. The determination and radiance of beauty sounded her.

She took a step toward him as she continued, "…I've lost my parents, and Isobel…and now _Jenna_…" her eyes held such a pain as she stared back at him. "I _can't_ lose anyone else."

He nodded in understanding, resting a gentle hand on her arm as her gaze fell to her feet. "I'm not going _anywhere_, Elena. I _promise_."

:}{}{}{}{:

"You remember." She said more as a statement of fact than a question.

He stared at her from across the parlor. He'd poured himself a glass of bourbon in light of recent events. They had just buried Jenna and Luka. And Elena was _alive_.

He took a sip from his glass before responding. "I do."

Her head fell for a moment in thought. The only thing that had been keeping her from reversing the compulsion she'd had over him was the threat of Klaus. But he was gone, along with Elijah—the traitor. But that did not mean that the man standing before her was the same man that had been in love with her all those years ago. He'd loved Katarina…and Elena. Where in his heart was there room for her?

"I remember the clubs," Damon began, setting his glass down. "The music…and dancing."

She closed her eyes as the memories of them together washed over her. As he continued, the sound of his voice drew closer.

"I remember the feel of your skin…against mine," at that moment she recognized his touch, stroking the bare flesh of her shoulder, trailing up her neck. "…the sweet smell of you…vanilla and _sunlight_…the taste of your lips…"

His eyes dropped to her lips for a moment, before flickering back. Piercing blue clashing against one another. His hand cupped her cheek and he tilted her head gently, gazing into her eyes.

"I remember _loving_ you." Damon dipped his head, bringing his lips down to meet hers in a slow, tender kiss. He felt his heart beating loudly in his chest at the contact. His lips tingled, he realized as she pulled away slowly.

The blond gazed up at him for a moment in awe. A _single_ kiss and he was on fire. He could not deny how much he wanted to pull her to him and take her right then and there. But the look in her eye…the gleam of something foreign to him was enough to keep him at bay.

Her hand flew to his arm, pulling back the sleeve of his white, button down shirt, exposing the werewolf bite that had marked him for death.

Caroline gasped at the sight, finger ghosting over the wound. She _knew_ what a werewolf bite meant for a vampire. _Death_. She looked back up at Damon, hands wrapping around him, pulling him into a tight embrace. He tensed for a moment at the gesture, before sinking into her comforting touch. This was it. This was the _end_.

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><p><em><strong>Thanks for reading. Please leave a review.<strong>_

**Author's Note: **Sorry I haven't been able to update in a while. I was visiting relatives who do not have internet. So I had to wait until I got back before I could upload anything new.


	8. Chapter 8

**Title:** the other Mikaelson girl

**Pairing:** Caroline/Damon: Damon/Elena/Stefan: Damon/Katherine

**Rating:** M

**Warnings:** Language, Violence, and Sexual Situations

**Alternate History:** Caroline the eldest daughter of the Original family has been on the run from Niklaus since the daggering of Rebekah. But when she receives an interesting call with the promise of finally ending the Hybrid she finds herself in Mystic Falls, faced with a man from her past that she hasn't been able to forget.

**Important Note:** This chapter is set in "As I Lay Dying". This is the **final chapter** of this series. Look for the _**Sequel: the origin of love**_. It should be out within a couple of weeks.

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><p>Her eyes<p>

She's on the dark side

Neutralize

Every man in sight

_**Angel**__, Massive Attack_

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><p><strong>VIII<strong>

He watched the slow rise and fall of her chest as she slept, body pressed firmly into his. He could fell ever inch of her against his side—_mocking_ him of what he would _never_ be able to enjoy. He was _dying_. There was no way around it. Rose had been bitten…he'd seen what happened to her. The unbearable pain…the _dementia_…Could he truly put the woman he…_loved_ through that? Allow her to watch him wither away; becoming a shell of a man.

Damon ran a hand down her bare arm, relishing in the sensations of warmth that moved throughout his body at the slightest touch. Her creamy white skin was a work of perfection, soft and delicate…much like her. She was _perfect_ in every way he saw imaginable. And with his returning memories he found it impossible to believe that he had truly ever loved another with as much…_intensity_…as he did her. Which was why he couldn't put her through what he had gone through with Rose, he noted; climbing out of bed carefully as not to wake her.

He crept to the door of his bedroom, peeking over his shoulder one last time at the beauty that lay soundlessly in his bed before exiting out into the hall. The man remained silent as he entered the parlor, feet directing him to a small cabinet. His eyes danced over the labels until he found a bottle fitting for a last drink.

Damon made his way over to the large curtained window, pouring the contents—bourbon, of course—into a crystal tumbler. He took a sip, eyes drifting over the lush, red curtain for a moment in thought. He moved, pulling the drapes back and allowing a bright, gust of sunlight to wash over him. His lips quirked…a small smile gracing his face as he downed the remaining contents of his glass before setting it down.

He stood before the open window, sliding his day-ring from his finger. This was _it_, he thought allowing it to fall to his feet with a _clank_ that seemed to echo throughout the room. He could already fell the agonizing heat on his skin as he raised his arms in surrender—ready to greet _death_.

:}{}{}{}{:

_Clank_.

The sound woke her from her sleep. Her hand reached for the comfort of her bedmate, dancing over his empty side in surprise. She bolted up, out of bed, brows scrunching in confusion at the absence of Damon. He had been there when she'd fallen asleep…holding her with such _possessiveness_…she'd melted under his touch.

She froze when she remembered on important fact about their reunion…she had smelt it. _Death._ He'd been bitten by a werewolf. Her heart almost fell to her chest when she recalled the phases a vampire went through after being bitten by a lycanthrope.

"_Damon?_" She called out his name worriedly, slowly making her way toward his bathroom. She peeked inside—empty. She turned on her heel, bolting out of his room.

"Damon!" Caroline's voice ricocheted down the long corridor. She paused in her movements when the younger Salvatore sudden appeared before, face solemn. He stared back at her with a mixture of uncertainty and curiosity. "Where's Damon?"

Stefan nodded toward the door leading down to the basement. She didn't miss him sliding a familiar ring into his jacket pocket. Damon's day-ring. Caroline watched him as he turned away from her, leaving her to handle his brother on her own.

Her eyes fell to the door that would lead her to the man she _loved_. She took a deep breath, gathering up all the courage she could muster and made her way down a set of stairs, down a narrow hall lined with brick. She stopped in front of a door that was bolted shut—keeping whatever was inside from getting out. Caroline peaked inside, eyes finding the Salvatore she'd been looking for huddled in a corner. The familiar aroma of blood hit her—his nose was bleeding. It was one of the _first _phases of a werewolf bite.

"_Caroline_," She heard him murmur as his head lulled to the side to take her in.

"I'm here, Damon." The blond responded; fingers working gingerly to unlock the door. She slid inside, making sure to close the door behind her.

"What are you doing?" He breathed out, watching as she approached him; kneeling down before him. "I don't want you to see—"

Caroline shook her head, eyes watering at the pitiful sight of him. It pained her to see the man in such a state. "I want to be here for you, Damon…until the _very_ end."

**::::::**

"_I'm here because I want to be," She murmured as he eyed her with wonder. She was the most radiant woman he'd ever encountered. There was something about her that was reminiscent of Katherine…the power she held over him…but unlike the brunette, she seemingly only had eyes for him. They way she spoke to him, gentle yet firm in her resolve. She was breathtaking. Which was why he was so riddled with doubt. How could someone so important—an Original no less—find him at all fascinating. Wish to amerce herself in his presence. _

"_Fine by me." Damon sighed, allowing her to loop her arm through his as they walked down the crowded Chicago street. He'd been invited to have brunch with one of society's finest men on Wall Street and his lovely, socialite of a wife. Of course the blond could not have left him to attend on his own. Besides, she enjoyed every moment she got with the man…and away from her brother who was growing more aggravating by the second, talking with much enthusiasm about Bekah's new boyfriend the Ripper. "But if my hands begin wandering under the table, please just entertain me."_

_She noted the grin on his face, as a blush crept to her cheeks. He was quite the exhibitionist when it came to their sex life. The way he loved to tease her…she bit her lip as sent him a sidelong look. Before he could continue, she grabbed his arm, pulling him behind her into the nearest, empty alleyway. He made an __**oof**__ sound as she pushed him into the brick wall, pressing herself into his hard form. She attacked his lips, hands flying to his hair, tugging him down gently to meet her enthusiastic lips._

_He let out a groan as she moved to trail a line of kisses down his neck. His skin was on fire at her touch. The man wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her tighter against his throbbing manhood. She purred in his ear, fingers working at pushing his trousers down—he hadn't put on any form of underwear she noted with a sly smile._

"_God, I love you so much right now," Damon growled out as her fingers stroked him gently, before wrapping around him. The blond stared into his eyes, a glint of mischief behind them._

"_Oh, I know you do…"_

:}{}{}{}{:

She pulled open the front door, none too surprised by the face that greeted her. She'd been waiting for her to show up. After all, she _had_ left the woman to deal with a dead body on her own.

"Andie." The blond greeted, allowing the girl to slide past her into the home.

"_Where's Damon_?" Andie inquired, getting right to the point. She was in no mood for pleasantries. She needed to see her _boyfriend._ The man that had called _her_ whenever there was an itch that needed to be scratched…when he needed someone to talk to.

"Not here." Caroline lied easily. Truthfully, she had just returned him to his room—after he _promised_ to behave and _not_ try and kill himself, again. "What happened to you?"

Andie scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest as she spoke. "What happened to _me_? Let me see, you _left_ me with a dead security guard last night. I had to lug him into the coffin that had been meant for_ you_, check the log to see where it was supposed to go, use a crowbar to open up a crate, and cart it in _by myself_ before I could get caught. And to top it all off, I come by to see Damon and instead I'm stuck with the Original _bitch_."

The blond tried not to let her words get to her. But, truth be told, she was a bitch. She should have stayed to help the woman. To investigate further on what Klaus had planned to do with her body. But she couldn't keep herself from going after Damon. When it came to the man she had tunnel vision, bad.

"Crate?" Caroline interjected after a moment of thought. "_What_ crate?"

Andie raised a brow. "The one Klaus' is using to horde a bunch of dead people…"

The blond brought a hand to her head as realization dawned on her. Her brother had _never_ scattered the bodies of their family along the sea. He'd had them the _entire_ time.

She turned to look over her shoulder at the stairs leading up to Damon's room. Would she risk it? Leaving now, before her brother learned she was not in her intended resting place, to see if it was true. See if her siblings were still alive…could she leave Damon at a time when he needed her most?

_No_…it didn't seem to her that she could leave him again. Not until his last breath, and maybe not even them. She could not live in a world where he no longer existed.

:}{}{}{}{:

"_Mr. Salvatore, spying on a lady is a sign of very poor manners." Katherine said, eyes never wandering from the pearls she worked at unraveling from around her wrist._

_He entered the room hesitantly, head bowed as he spoke up. "My apologies Miss Katherine."_

_She turned in her seat, staring into her vanity, examining her dress._

"_Well since you're here…" The brunette began, returning her attention to the man who stood in uniform in her doorway. "…my corset strings seem to be knotted. I wonder if you could undo them."_

"_Of course." Damon responded quickly, stepping inside her room. He moved to stand behind her was she made her way over to the lengthy mirror. He ran a hand through her dark locks, sweeping them to the side; exposing her long, slender neck. She leaned into him, expression downcast._

"_Will you miss me while off defending the south?" Katherine inquired, staring into the mirror at him._

"_I shall." He whispered into her ear._

"_Then I hope you will hurry back." She informed him, closing her eyes as his hand caressed the bare skin of her shoulder. "I fear I will be lonely with you away."_

"_I would think Stefan should be company enough." The man responded blandly as she turned in his hold; coming to face him now._

"_Is it so wrong for me to want you both?" She asked, as if the question in itself held no issue with her. That had been what drew him and his brother apart…her indecisiveness…her inability to choose between the two of them._

"_Damon." Another voice called out to him, pulling his attention away from the woman that stood before him. That had held his heart for over a century._

"_Caroline?" Damon's eyes widened at her sudden appearance. The blond tilted her head to the side as she stared back at him. His heart clenched at the sight of her. _

"_Damon, don't you see," Caroline sighed, standing in the middle of the open doorway, shaking her head at him. "She never loved you…not like I did. Like I do. She was playing you."_

**::::::**

His eyes snapped to the opening door, nerves calming when he was that it was _her_.

"It's getting worse." He managed to get out, indicating the bite on his arm as she approached glass of blood in hand. Her lips were set in a frown, taking a seat beside him. It was obvious she was holding back whatever was threatening to breach her perfect walls of confidence. Stefan had called, saying the witch had a lead on a _cure._ The idea was optimistic at best.

"Nah, that's just a scratch." Caroline said gently, watching as he took the tumbler from her. He swallowed down its contents slowly, savoring the rich flavor on his tongue.

Aside from his eminent _death_…this was the _first_ time he recalled ever _truly_ being at peace. The blond had the effect on him. Quelled him of his fears with a breath of beauty that was uniquely her.

"You and Stefan are _deluded_ if you think you're going to find a cure." Damon spoke up, shattering the silence that had washed over him. He couldn't give her reason to hope, when there was none. He was going to die. And as much as he relished at her presence he did _not_ her around when he kicked the bucket.

"_No Damon._" She said, eyes locking on his as she spoke. "It's not _deluded_ to want to find a cure."

Caroline lay down, until her side was pressed firmly against his. She rested her head on his chest, staring up at him behind dark lashes. "People care about you, Damon. I _care_ about you. Is it _so wrong_ to want to be with you for as_ long_ as I possibly can?"

The man stared down into her soft, pleading blue orbs. His fingers found hers, intertwining them with his as he brought their joined hands to his chest; resting them over his heart.

"I don't want you to be…disappointed, Caroline." He sighed; thumb stroking the back of her hand absentmindedly. "I don't want—"

Caroline shifted so that she lay on her side, eyes narrowed as she stared at him with a sudden intensity. She was angry. "Don't talk like that damnit!"

His brows furrowed as she continued. "If I even think for a _second_ that…I just _can't_ afford to think like that, Damon. So please, just _humor_ me."

He nodded slowly, in understanding. They had _just_ found their way back to each other, only to be pulled apart by his impending death. It was hard, to look into her big, blue eyes, and know that he would only leave her in devastation.

"Why?" The Salvatore spoke up suddenly, choosing to change to subject; for her sake. "When you first saw me…why didn't you remove the compulsion you had over me?"

"I—I was _protecting_ you." She murmured, returning her head to rest on his chest. "If Elijah knew that we shared a history, he would have deemed you a liability that he did not need. I—couldn't risk your safety."

It made sense. He would have done the same thing, if he'd been in her position. But he wasn't…and it just frustrated him to no end that she had to deal with the _truth_ of them on her own. Watch as he paraded after Elena, whenever the girl got herself into trouble. Whenever she called.

"I would do _anything_ to keep you safe, Damon." She whispered, warm breath tickling his skin as she spoke. A shiver ran down his spine at her words. He had never met any woman quite so willing as she, without compulsion, ready to do whatever needed to be done to keep _him_ safe. It was usually the other way around…well, in the case of Katherine and Elena…

"_Thank you_." He sighed in turn, "But I don't deserve it…"

"You do, Damon." Caroline interjected.

"No, I _don't_." The man admitted to her. Admitted for the first time in over a century. "I've made _so_ many mistakes in my life. With Stefan…and Katherine, Elena…I had a choice. And I made the wrong one. Every decision I made…lead me _here_."

"To me." Caroline added, kindly; lips set in a soft smile. She raised a hand, cupping his cheek sweetly. "They've lead you to _me_, Damon. They brought us to _this_ point. Brought us together, again."

It was true. If he had never come back to Mystic Falls for Katherine two years ago he would have never been her to meet Caroline, or reintroduce himself. She would have never made the impact on her life that she did. He would still be under compulsion, completely unaware that there was a woman out there that truly loved him, and o_nly_ him. Not as a choice but as her _only_ option. It had _never_ been a choice, loving each other. It just happened—fate, some might call it.

Her eyes drifted down to his lips—lips she'd kissed over a hundred times, yet still had an overwhelming effect on her. As if reading her mind, Damon inched closer until his mouth hovered only an inch from hers.

She leaned into him, pressing her lips against his for a gentle kiss. He pulled away, gazing into her face with such…_adoration_ in his eyes. Like she was the _only _woman he saw.

"_Thank you_." He breathed out. He was grateful, for having such an amazing woman beside him, fighting along with him; someone who wasn't willing to simply give up on him.

"Well, it's me you should be thanking." A familiar voice cut through the silence of the room before the blond could respond. They both turned their attention to the archway where the woman stood, waving a small bottle in her hand. "I mean, I'm the one who brought the cure."

Caroline could see that the Petrova was tense, probably uncertain where they stood. The two had rarely interacted when she'd been staying on the estate with Niklaus, but—she was an Original. Someone not to be trusted, many liked to think.

The blond watched as Katarina—or Katherine, as she liked to go by now—crossed the room to where Damon lay.

"I thought Klaus would have killed you by now," The brunette spoke up, uncapping the bottle.

"Oh, he did." Caroline responded simply.

"You got free." Damon muttered as she brought the container to his lips.

"Yep. _Finally_." She said with exasperation as the contents ran down his throat.

"And you _still came here_." The Salvatore got out in surprise. He had not expected _that_ from the woman who said she'd only ever loved his brother.

"I owed you one." She said matter-of-factly, patting his cheek gently. Stefan had done it. He'd found the cure.

"Where's Stefan?" Caroline spoke up, voicing the question that had been on his mind. If Stefan had found the cure, why wasn't he the one bringing it to him? Something wasn't right. He could feel it. And it seemed the blond could too.

"He's pay for _this_." Katherine informed them, indicating the empty bottle with a wave of the hand. "He gave himself over to Klaus. I wouldn't expect him any time soon. He sacrificed _everything_ to save his brother. Including _Elena_."

:}{}{}{}{:

The Gilbert girl was devastated when she heard the news about her boyfriend. She'd shown up at the boarding house to say her final goodbyes to the brother she _hadn't_ chosen, only to have him answer the door looking as good as new wearing a saddened expression.

He did his best to comfort her as they sat in the parlor, Caroline pacing the floor in silent thought. If Klaus was willing to give up the cure in return for Stefan than that could only mean he had an ulterior motive driving him to do so. Niklaus _never_ did things without expecting something in return that could help him.

Andie had already revealed that her brother had in his possession the remaining Originals. Elijah, most likely now among them—with the exception of the coffin the reporter had managed to place inside its designated crate. It actually worked in her favor. If Nik believed she was daggered—that there was no one left to stand against him he would be unprepared for an attack.

_If_ she could find someone powerful enough who could help her. Her eyes flashed from a crying Elena, to Damon, who held the girl in his arms carefully. If he'd still be in love with her he might have taken advantage of the contact. But he wasn't. So, he did his duty as the good friend…the doting brother.

"It will be okay, Elena." Caroline sighed; stopping to look at her directly, expression reassuring. "_We _will bring Stefan back. I _give you my word._"

The brunette stared up at her in awe. There was such determination…such _certainty_ in her voice. She stood up, approaching the Original slowly. There was fear in her eyes. She still did not know if she could trust the vampiress that had came into their lives like a whirlwind and taken Damon's affections away. Even if they'd know each other in the past. It hurt, she hated to admit.

Seeing the way the man looked at Caroline, eyes purely focused on her as if every breath she took was of monumental importance.

"How can I trust you? How do I know you won't betray us like Elijah?" The Salvatore stood up at her sharp tone, readying himself to pull the girl away if she grew aggressive—not that he was worried for Caroline.

The blond tilted her head, staring past Elena at the man who meant more to her than anything else in the world. "Because I love, Damon. I would _never_ do anything to _hurt_ him. And I know how important his brother is to him. If I can, I'm _going_ to do whatever it takes to get him back."

Elena nodded slowly, lips pursing as she stared back into Caroline's blue orbs.

"_Okay_. What's the plan?"

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><p><em><strong>Thanks for reading. Please leave a review. Sorry for the cliffhanger.<strong>_

Look for the _**Sequel: the origin of love**_. It should be out within a couple of weeks.


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